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Source: IFRC
Date: 26 Apr 2004
North Korea: Train Explosion Disaster Information Bulletin No.
02/2004
The Federation's mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable
people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It is the world's
largest humanitarian organization and its millions of
volunteers are active in over 181 countries.
In Brief
This Information Bulletin (no. 02/2004) is being issued based
on the needs described below reflecting the i n formation
available at this time. CHF 50,000 has been allocated from the
Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF). Following
assessments conducted over the past two days by the DPRK Red
Cross and the International Federation, the International
Federation will provide support for relief activities through
an Emergency Appealto be launched shortly.
All International Federation assistance seeks to adhere to the
Code of Conduct and is committed to the Humanitarian Charter
and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response in delivering
assistance to the most vulnerable. For support to or for
further information concerning Federation programmes or
operations in this or other countries, or for a full
descript★ion of the national society profile, please access the
Federation's website at http://www.ifrc.org
The Situation
Several thousand people have been left homeless following the
massive explosion which occurred on Thursday 22 April, at noon
at Ryongchon railway station in the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea's (DPRK) North Pyongan Province. The
explosion is said to have been caused when two rail wagons,
reportedly loaded with ammonium nitrate, blew up during a
shunting operation. The blast obliterated the station and the
immediate vicinity, causing damage within a radius of four
kilometres.
As of Sunday 25 April, the official death toll has risen to 161
people. Among the dead are 76 children whose school was
levelled in the blast. The explosion occurred as the children
were on their way home for lunch. According to the most recent
information from the DPRK's Flood Damage Rehabilitation
Committee (FDRC), some 1,300 people were injured and about 700
hospitalized due to the explosion.
The FDRC has confirmed that some 1,850 homes were destroyed or
totally damaged, while a further 6,360 have sustained partial
damaged. The thousands left homeless due to the blast's damage
have been provided with temporary shelter in schools and public
buildings, or else they have been taken in by relatives and
neighboursles s affected.
Among the large number of public buildings damaged were
schools, the county hospital, a factory and an agricultural
college. With the hospital damaged by the explosion, most of
the severely wounded - some 357 people - were taken to the
North Pyongan provincial hospital at Sinuiju near the Chinese
border. Others were taken for treatment to Pyongbuk Hospital,
Sanwon Hospital, Provincial Pediatrics Hospital, Maternity
Hospital, and Sinuiju City Hospital.
Federation delegates who visited the scene of the disaster
reported a huge crater at the centre of the blast, and said the
nearest surviving buildings had been scorched as though a
fireball had swept through them. Some 40 per cent of this town
of 27,000 people have been affected by disruptions to supplies
of electricity and water supplies, and communications.
The county of Ryongchon has a population 130,000 and is in one
of four provinces where the DPRK Red Cross (DPRK RC) and the
Federation are providing regular humanitarian health and care
support.
Red Cross and Red Crescent action
DPRK Red Cross
The local branch of the DPRK RC responded immediately after the
explosion by establishing five temporary first -aid posts close
to the disaster site, and mobilizing 398 Red Cross volunteers.
A relie f operation was also mounted. The DPRK Red Cross,
supported by the Federation, maintains five disaster
preparedness centres (DP Center) which are spread strategically
through the country. One is located near Sinuiju, just five
kilometres from Ryongchon. After the National Society had
conducted an initial assessment at the request of the FDRC on
Friday, 23 April, trucks left the centre's warehouse carrying
2,000 kitchen sets, 10,000 blankets, 2,000 water containers,
2,000 tarpaulins, 720,000 water purification tablets and 1,000
first aid kits. A Federation logistics coordinator from
Pyongyang who had been in the area assisted the DPRK RC in the
distribution which has been ongoing.
The Federation delegates took with them two trucks and five
other vehicles loaded with first-aid and medical supplies.
Three days prior to the blast, the National Society/Federation
had delivered medical supplies to hospitals and clinics in the
area which, with the new consignment, meant immediate needs in
Ryongchon could be covered. The delivery was part of an ongoing
four-province Red Cross medical programme which ensures annual
assistance to six million people.
The DPRK Red Cross with support from the Federation have
distributed the following urgently needed relief items to
persons affected by the aftermath of the explosion on 24 April:
Relief items
Date Item Unit Quantity Warehouse
24.4.2004 Kitchen set set 2,000 Sinuiju, DP Centre
24.4.2004 Blanket pcs 10,000 Sinuiju, DP centre
24.4.2004 Water container pcs 2,000 Sinuiju, DP centre
24.4.2004 Tarpaulin pcs 2,000 Sinuiju, DP centre
24.4.2004 Water purification tablet tablet 720,000 Sinuiju, DP
centre
24.4.2004 First Aid kit kit 687 DP Centre
24.4.2004 First Aid refill kit kit 30 DP Centre
25.4.2004 Kitchen set set 500 Sinuiju DP centre
25.4.2004 Blanket pcs 4,000 Sinuiju DP centre
25.4.2004 Water container pcs 1,228 Sinuiju DP centre
25.4.2004 Water container pcs 1,812 DP Centre
Medicines
Date Item Kit Cartoons Hospital
24.4.04 Supplementary kit 8 80 Ryongchon County Hospital
24.4.04 Supplementary kit 13 130 Sinuiju
24.4.04 Supplementary kit (extra) 3 30 Sinuiju
Total 24
The Federation logistics coordinator and his DPRK RC
counterpart will be bringing additional relief goods to the
disaster area, while the Federation's water/sanitation delegate
and health delegate will continue to conduct technical
assessments in the field to estimate further need.
Coordination
On 24 April, a further five Federation delegates travelled to
the disaster site from Pyongyang as part of an interagency
assessment mission responding to a formal request from the
government. Among other participants were OCHA, UNICEF, WHO,
WFP, FAO, ICRC, ECHO, Concern Worldwide, German AgroAction, and
Premiere Urgence. A number of diplomatic missions were also
represented.
Dr. Yoon Gu Lee, President of Rep. of the Korea National Red
Cross (RoK RC), was informed of the accident by Dr. Jang Jae
On, President of DPRK Red Cross (DPRK RC) on 23 April while he
was in Pyongyang for discussions on inter Korean cooperation
matters with DPRK Red Cross. Once Dr. Lee knew about this
disaster, he expressed his intent to extend possible assistance
for the affected people through DPRK RC. The RoK RC now plans
to send 100,000 instant noodles, 10,200 bottles if mineral
water (1.8 liter each), 3,000 blankets, 3,000 training suits
and 3,000 hygiene and other non-food items (total value of USD
387,000) to the DPRK RC as soon as possible.
Offers from donor partners to Red Cross to support the affected
people by this disaster have been overwhelming. The
International Federation in cooperation with DPRK RC is in the
process of launching Preliminary Emergency Appeal, which will
incorporate the replenishment of already distributed materials
as well as the planned contribution by RoK RC.
While the international telephone lines with the Federation's
DPRK Delegation have been inoperable under this emergency
situation, the Federation's regional information delegate in
Beijing has been backing up and giving extensive support to
DPRK Delegation in terms of media interviews. The Regional
Delegation in Beijing has been supporting the DPRK Delegation
in reporting and planning.
Needs
Emergency needs can be covered by in-country stocks but there
is a need for the replenishment of the stocks distributed so
far. Further assessment is required for a rehabilitation phase,
particularly in the fields of health and water/sanitation.
The DPRK RC and the International Federation share the great
concern of the authorities for the people who have been left
homeless. The FDRC has placed priority on rehabilitation and
appealed for assistance in the reconstruction of homes, health
facilities and public buildings. DPRK RC in cooperation with
the International Federation will further assess the need in
this regard.
For further information specifically related to this operation
please contact:
International Federation East Asia Regional Delegation (EARD)
in Beijing; John Sparrow, Information Delegate; (Tel) 86-10-
6532-7162; (Mobile Tel) 86-1350-120-597
International Federation EARD in Beijing; N iels Juel, Regional
Disaster Management Delegate; (Tel) 86-10-6532-7162; (Mobile
Tel) 86-1360-105-0424
In Geneva, Regional Officer in charge of East Asia: Satoshi
Sugai, email: satoshi.sugai@ifrc.org; phone: +41 -22-730-4273
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