UN assisting Chile in aftermath of massive quake in 50 years

[dilip]

International aid has started to arrive, four days after the huge earthquake in Chile.

The death toll from the strongest earthquake to strike Chile in more than 50 years officially stands at 795 people, the public health arm of the United Nations in the region said today, as it assesses the healthcare needs of survivors. And the earthquake swarm in Chile continues today, already 3 earthquakes could be counted today that rates above the 5 magnitude and the last earthquake was less than a hour ago.There is a sense of urgency with reports of looting and shops being set on fire in Concepcion.The government has deployed extra troops to the disaster zone to maintain order.

Some 80 per cent of the South American country’s population was affected by the 8.8-magnitude quake, which occurred just off the coast of Chile in the early hours of Saturday morning, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).PAHO, the regional office of the UN World Health Organization (WHO), reported that health care services continue to meet the immediate needs on the ground, with the Government mainly concerned about re-establishing routine services – dialysis, chemotherapy and radiation among others – before patient health is jeopardized.

Four of the seven hospitals in the worst hit of the six affected regions – Maule, which has suffered 544 deaths to date – are too badly damaged to function, but the majority of the 76 hospitals in the rest of the disaster zone are operating without major difficulties, said PAHO.

Following a request from the Chilean Government for assistance in the wake of Saturday’s devastating earthquake, the United Nations and Member States are assisting the South American nation to assess the damage wrought and help people in need.Authorities in Chile have issued a request for supplies, including mobile bridges, satellite telephones, electric generators, water purification systems and dialysis centres.

For its part, the UN is sending dozens of satellite telephones to Chile from New York and Geneva, said Alicia Barcena, Executive-Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), which is headquartered in the capital, Santiago.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has offered 30 tons of food support, which is ready to be transported to Chile from nearby Ecuador.Countries such as Argentina are sending in urgently-needed field hospitals, with the Chilean Air Force having already setting up four field hospitals, each holding up to 60 patients.The head of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today said that her agency is prepared to assist Chile recover from the massive quake, underscoring the need for countries in high-risk areas to bolster their disaster risk reduction capacity.

“The earthquake that struck Chile is another distressing example of our vulnerability to natural disasters and the need for greater vigilance and preparedness,” said UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova.For its part, the World Bank has also extended its support to Chile to in the aftermath of the earthquake. “Our thoughts are with the people of Chile at this difficult time,” said World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick.