News Note

Eyes on Algeria

“It’s such a huge area - 80 km in length. It’s just so big, it seems overwhelming.”
-- Thomas Davin, UNICEF Emergencies Officer, in Algiers

Links

• A UNICEF donor alert and report on the Algerian children's situation In Word format

NEW YORK, 23 May 2003 -
• Algeria struck by a massive earthquake on the evening of 21 May that leveled domestic and public buildings. Epicentre about 60 km from Algiers in the town of Bourmedes.

• An area almost 80 km in length is hit hardest. The total population directly affected is estimated to mount to 70.000; almost 40.000 of them are children.

• The death toll as of Saturday reaches 1,900, with 7200 persons seriously injured, and more than 1,000 still missing.

UNICEF responds…
“We had one of the first flights into the country with urgent supplies that our wonderful team in Copenhagen assembled. Our tangible help is for people who have lost everything except their lives. And our teams moving through the disaster zone have been tireless.”

• UNICEF teams were moving through the earthquake zone within hours, assessing the damage. Emergency staff arrived in Algeria within a day. The teams assessed Thenia, Boumerdes, Zemmouri, Belecourt, Reghaia and Rouiba.

• A UNICEF plane loaded with 15 tons of relief supplies landed on Saturday in Algeria, carrying emergency medical supplies, recreation kits for children, obstetric kits for emergency deliveries, hygiene kits for families who have lost their homes (with special hygiene packages for infants), baby and survival blankets, and glucose and sodium supplements to fight diarrhoea.

• UNICEF Algeria is distributing other emergency supplies to the earthquake zone, including water, biscuits, milk and diapers, with the assistance of the Algerian Boy Scouts.

• UNICEF is helping the government to provide immediate support to children in the form of recreational activities.

• A UNICEF Flash Appeal will be launched by Monday and a donor meeting organized in Geneva this week.

Women and children were hit hardest…
“Most of the victims were women and children for two reasons. The men were out for evening prayers, or had gathered outside to watch a football match in groups. There are many dead children. Those alive must deal with the grief of loss, and the shock of life now. Children are wandering aimlessly around, they are seeing the terrible things in the rubble. Many children are afraid of staying in their houses and of being left alone."

The most urgent needs of children in particular are:

• Shelter: many people have found temporary shelter with relatives and friends; an important number of people are however living in self built tents.

• Nutrition: because of disrupted food and water, young children are at particular risk.

• Medical supplies: including the re-establishment of a basic medical service in Thenia as the hospital has been almost completely destroyed.

• Recreational occupation: providing children with educational and recreational opportunities will help them in coping with their fear and stress

• Sanitation and hygiene: a growing concern in the coming days

• Electricity: not yet available in the worst hit areas.

• Drinking water: lacking in many of the worst hit areas.

• Education: the finalisation of the school year may be at stake for children in the effected areas who are only 2 to 4 weeks of away from final exams.

Searching for survivors…
“The digging continues. It’s a grimmer task today, because so few have been found alive. One four-year-old girl yesterday. One should be thankful that it hasn’t rained because all these people are outside. But because of the heat the bodies are beginning to decompose. These people are compelled to bury bodies quickly without washing them or the usual rituals of Islam because there is no time.”

Unaccompanied children…
We don’t expect children to find themselves alone, even though we know that many have lost one or both parents. In the floods of 2001, we had no cases of children who weren’t taken care of by extended family. What is going to be an issue is the psychological impact on children and parents.

The Algerians help themselves…
“The solidarity of the population has been touching and dignified. A restaurant owner feeding three hundred people a day in Boumerdes. In Thenia, which has had the worst casualties and wounded, where they are without water and electricity, people are living outside, and families who have the capacity are cooking for their neighbours who have lost everything. The army units were sharing their food, their rations, and letting the people use their tents.

***

For more information, please contact:

Gordon Weiss, UNICEF New York, Tel: ++ 212 326-7426
Kiari Liman Tinguiri, Representative
Or
Faycal Oulmi, Assistant. Communications Officer: UNICEF-Algiers
Tel :00.213.21.69.21.35
fax :00.213.21.69.22.47