Bam earthquake Iran

26 December 2003
AA International Assessment Mission:
Khurshid, Dr. Unni and Roger
Team photographs
The earthquake facts
Epicenter was in Bam, a district town of a population of about 110,000
in Kerman providence

Richter scale of the quake 6.3--6.6 at 5.27 am local time

The government reports put the death toll at 43,000.

30,000 injured. 12,000 people were evacuated to other

towns for medical attention

Eastern side of the city is completely destroyed; western is

almost. Total homeless 70,000

[Source: OCHA, IFRC, USAID and Government of Iran]

The human disasters --1
A total destruction of physical, social, economic and psychological
devastation

There is massive trauma resulted from loss of family members, assets and
property and lack of information

Many of the key officials and professionals were killed, and

the remainder are traumatized.

Schools were all destroyed and many teachers died. Now tented
schools have started to open but children are not registering.
The human disasters--2

All the hospitals in the town damaged

The government is debating whether to relocate the town, and this

uncertaintly is causing anxiety and hampering planning.

People are desperate for information. Negligible participation [ocha

meeting experience]

Everyone was affected, but the people who were killed were mostly living
in traditional mud brick housing, the modern housing was damaged but
did not collapse.

At present there is no local cash flow, salaries have not been paid and
the bank is closed. All shops and small businesses were destroyed.

Everyone lost glasses.

The mud built 2200 years old city destroyed: also an indication of
no major quake in last 22 centuries
Magic water supply system saved many lives: people went out for
wash for the morning pray survived
School bag, books and pillow is there; but not my kid. I don’t why is me
only survived to bear the pain of all of my 8 family members died!
Collapsed Kmarband Mahdab Sadi School: many teachers died
and few student survived to respond to a call for registering
 I’m a school teachers, I lost 5 of my colleagues. My students are
also not registering at school, I don’t know their whereabouts. I
can’t stand in the line and shout for relief; if I do what would my
students think! I am sunni, we receive less attention. —School
teacher
Aflatun General Hospital [Pvt.] and Imam
Khomeni Hospital [public] completely
colloupesed.
People still coming to see a doctor! Too
little information flowing!
People coming out from hospital looking around with
uncertainty: follow up care is not planned yet.
I lost my kids, my
husband is in Tehran
somewhere I don’t
know: looking for my
family from village to
take me there
Meeting father family after a while
Many people migrating in uncertainty
Mental health centre destroyed: none to care for the people
traumatized
My mother is in hospital inside, I am waiting for my father to
come who went to look after my uncle
15 of my family members died—my grandmother, grand father,
brothers and sisters. Little Fatima who was very kind used to play
with me also died. I don’t know where is my other friends!—Fayze,
4 years old.
Key observations-1

Massive relief work going on, but there is unmet needs. There is
huge and under-utilised national capacity to respond.

Plenty of relief has arrived and more is

coming. The Red Crescent say they have
received and distributed 108,000 tents
Many people around the town have not
received the things they need, lots of
people were seeking tents and some
families were sharing with 15 people to a
tent.
Not all the assistance met peoples'
priorities.
Key observations-2
Many of the key officials and professionals were killed, and the
remainder are traumatized. Many gaps and failures are down to the
absence of key local government personnel.

Physical disability and physchosocial care are articulated as need; there

is specialized agencies but lack how to design a programme.

People are not a part of decision making. As people lost their radio,
TV and newspapers are not going—they are cut off from
information flow. Trauma, panic and rumors.

People being realized from Hospitals; no information about

follow-up care.
Key observations-3
We were told that to get assistance one needed either a car, or good
contacts or to be very pushy. The poorer and more traumatized
people are thus more likely to be excluded. There is no suggestion of
systematic exclusion of any social or ethnic groups. The exception was
a group of Afghan refugees who did not have ration cards, but they
were getting several distributions a day from a variety of international
NGO's.

People reported that there were

small quakes three days before the
massive one. The preparedness
measures were not there as Bam
was considered as earthquake free
ActionAid’s response
Key issues: participation, phycho-social care, community based
care and rehabilitation

Iranian organizations have tremendous potential to respond

effectively---NGOs Kerman and Tehran, Nurses System
Organization, but lack:

How to design and run a programme

Knowledge on the issues

Specialized advice

ActionAid experience on the subject in Gujarat and Afghanistan—a

learning cycle is desired
Operations
Goals
Capacity of confidence of the Nurses organization and NGOs
that actively involve survivors particularly youths
Introduce Afghanistan and Indian earthquake experience
Learn from Iran and improve future response elsewhere

Outputs sought
Active involvement of earthquake survivors recovering [family
and community. Mental well-being—suicidal attempts, trauma
and post trauma disorder. Post hospital and community based
disability care
Activities
Series of training for nurses, community members and government
staff to orient them on psychosocial and physical needs of survivors
and the importance of community involvement.

Run a rolling programme of skills training for nurses, teachers and

community volunteers, particularly young people, to provide appropriate
basic care in the community (both psychosocial and for those with
physical disabilities).

Establish an outreach centre in Bam where community members can

access treatment, training and information. In the longer term a
temporary centre may be transformed into a permanent youth centre.
Activities
Recruit community volunteers, supported with a small cash allowance,
to work within the community and provide support for mental and
physical recovery; for coping with disability; and to help people to get
access to the services and assistance they are entitled to.

Provide a place (physical and telephone) where people contemplating

suicide can talk.

Use posters, radio programmes and the like to disseminate

information that will make it easier for people to understand what is
happening and to find the help they need. This may include opening
public debate about substance abuse and subsequent HIV/AIDs
problems

Engage in advocacy with the government and others involved in

recovery programmes to promote community focused solutions
and equality of access to health facilities.
LEARNING FOR BANGLADESH
WE FELL SORRY FOR YOU