Russian Federation: ICRC assists over 13,500 earthquake victims in Chechnya

The villages had been severely affected by an earthquake on 11 October. The supplies included tarpaulins, blankets, hygiene kits, kitchen sets, candles and jerrycans. " We hope that these items will help local authorities to meet the basic needs of the victims of this earthquake, which unfortunately struck a region that has suffered a great deal in recent years, " said Laurent Bernet, the head of the ICRC in the Chechen Republic.

The earthquake hit southern regions of the Chechen Republic, killing 13 people and leaving over 100 wounded. A week later, many people in rural areas still cannot enter their homes because of the damage sustained and are staying in makeshift accommodation. The ICRC, in close cooperation with the RRC and in agreement with the Chechen authorities, conducted a large-scale assessment of the needs in Nozhay-Yurt, Gudermes, Kurchaloy and Vedeno districts immediately after the earthquake.

On 13 and 14 October, the ICRC, in coordination with the Chechen Ministry of Health, also provided three surgical kits to Central Regional hospitals in Gudermes and Shali and to Hospital N9 in Grozny. The kits can treat about 75 patients each.

The ICRC is currently conducting additional assessments, focusing on water needs and on assistance to hospitals damaged by the quake.

The ICRC’s budget for the Russian Federation totals 19 million US dollars. Of this, 12 million dollars are for the northern Caucasus. The organization has a staff of 20 expatriates and 260 national employees in the Russian Federation.