Baptist Global Response

DUSHANBE, Tajikistan – Winter’s bitter cold will be eased for hundreds of earthquake victims in Central Asia as 20 tons of coal, purchased with Southern Baptist disaster relief funds, makes its way into a mountainous region of Tajikistan struck by an earthquake Jan. 2.
 
The 5.3-magnitude quake hit Gorno-Badakhshansky, where Southern Baptist relief work was still ongoing from a March 2009 tremor, said Glen Hofecker, who is directing the relief response on behalf of Global Partners, a humanitarian organization cooperating with Southern Baptists in the effort. Emergency relief officials in the government report 100 houses completely destroyed and another 900 partially damaged.
 
The coal deliveries will provide an opportunity to help people in and around Gishkhun village who are frightened about the prospect of more violent seismic activity, Hofecker said after visiting the area.
 
“Aftershocks were frequent and some quite noticeable. I am a little jumpy myself after part of a house came down just beside me during one,” Hofecker said. “Local people are frightened from years of seismic activity that some have attributed to pending volcanic eruption. The quake of Jan. 2 and aftershocks have been preceded by loud booming from underground.”
 
The area is prone to earthquakes, Hofecker noted. According to the government’s emergency management office, more than 170 significant tremors were reported in the area between September 2007 and March 2009.
 
Several relief organizations are providing emergency supplies, including tents, tarps, food and clothing, Hofecker added. Water in the area is safe to drink. The coal deliveries, which will begin this week, will provide heat for displaced families forced to live in tents during the weeks of bitter winter weather ahead. The $7,000 cost of the project breaks down to just $11.70 per person.
 
More than 600 people have been left without shelter, so a long-term need in the area will be constructing new housing, said Francis Horton, who with his wife Angie directs work in Central and South Asia for Baptist Global Response.

“Global Partners been asked to build houses. This is the principal humanitarian need and Global Partners could serve as the primary implementer of the project,” Horton said. “Funding will come from several sources, including general relief funds provided by Southern Baptists. Volunteers may be needed in this relief effort, once building can start in the spring.”
 
Meanwhile, people who care can begin helping immediately by praying for the affected families and those who are organizing the relief effort, Horton said.
 
“This is a great opportunity for people who care to help people in need in a very remote area of the world.” Horton said. “One of the Christians in the area has asked us to pray that those in leadership and ministry would have wisdom and discernment, and for the Father to bless and guide them. Please pray that God’s peace would reign in this very remote, isolated part of the world.”

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DUSHANBE, Tajikistan — A Jan. 2 earthquake that struck a mountainous region of Tajikistan has left hundreds, perhaps thousands, of villagers homeless in bitter winter weather, Southern Baptist humanitarian workers in Central Asia report.

The 5.3-magnitude quake struck in Gorno-Badakhshansky, the same area hit hard by a tremor in 2009. Southern Baptist relief work from the earlier earthquake is still ongoing in the region and the field partner involved in that effort said he expected to find many houses weakened by last year’s quake have now collapsed.

The field partner reported by e-mail immediately after the tremor struck: “About one hour ago, we felt a rather good shake here. Power went off for one hour and when it came back up we checked online for the location. Seems it was the same place as last year between Vanj and Yazgulom. I was there a few days ago to check on construction progress. I was shown several houses (not included in the project) that had opened big cracks since our initial inspection. This likely was a result of aftershocks from the last year’s quake.”

Emergency official Munira Nazariyeva said Jan. 4 that on-site inspections counted 783 people homeless, 98 mud-brick houses completely destroyed and nearly 1,000 others damaged by the quake, news agencies reported. No fatalities have been recorded but authorities said electricity supplies and communications in the area were cut off and rockfalls and mudslides blocked some roads.

Southern Baptist humanitarian workers in the country are gathering information, assessing the damage and beginning to fashion a response to this event, said Francis Horton, who with his wife, Angie, directs work in Central and South Asia for Baptist Global Response.

“It will take some time to get accurate figures on the homeless. This field partner is continuing an assessment of the situation and will be designing a response that will best assist those affected by this earthquake,” Horton said. “He says the weather is clear and the road is firm for now. They should be able to make some progress over the next couple of days to clarify the picture.”

Because earthquakes are common the region, the field partners, as well as other organizations and local governments, are well-versed in disaster response and have effectively responded to earlier disasters in that area, Horton noted.

“They work very well with other organizations and the local government to get help to the people,” Horton said. “We will await the results of their assessment and move forward according their recommendation.”

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Donations to help alleviate human suffering in crisis situations like this may be made here.