QURGHON TEPPA, Asia-Plus - Some 30 tons of humanitarian aid was delivered to the Qumsangir district for the quake-affected population yesterday.  

The country’s government sent 20 tons of wheat flour, 10 tons of vegetable oil and 8 tons of sugar to the quake-affected areas of Qumsangir.  Besides, Tajikistan ’s National Red Crescent Society (NRCS) sent 100 tents to the quake-affected people in Qumsangir. 

Deputy Prime Minister Asadullo Ghulomov telling a session of the commission for removing the disaster noted that 15,000 Somonis had been provided from presidential reserve fund for families of those three children that had been killed in the quakes.  Besides, the regional authorities have provided 9,000 Somonis and the district authorities have provided 6,000 Somonis.  The families will receive 10,000 Somonis each.  

The Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) has already sent 50 servicemen to the site of the disaster to clear rubble and install tents.  120 other servicemen are being sent to the disaster site today.  The Ministry of Health has set up five teams for providing first medical aid to the quake-affected population.   

  Three children, a 7-year-old Ibrohim Mazoriyev, a 7-year-old Mizhgona Saymuddinova and a 10-year-old Shahnoza Saymuddinova, were killed as two earthquakes shook the Qumsangir district in the southern province of Khatlon last Saturday [July 29], early in the morning.  Other some 20 people were injured.  The central district hospital in Qumsangir was also damaged by the quakes.  All patients were evacuated to hospitals of the nearby districts of Kolkhozobod and Jilikul.   

According to information from the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES), the quakes’ epicenters were located in Afghanistan , some 170-180 kilometers south of Dushanbe .

            The source says some 500 residential buildings in three jamoats of Qumsangir were damaged by the quakes; of them, 400 houses were destroyed completely.  All in all, some 1,500 families were damaged by the disaster.      

            At present a special commission comprising Deputy Prime Minister Asadullo Ghulomov, Emergencies Minister Mirzo Ziyoyev and Chairman of Khatlon Amirsho Miraliyev is working in the site of the quakes to closely monitor the situation, according to the source.

According to MES official, the magnitude of the first earthquake was 5.0 and of the second one 5.5 on Tajikistan ’s 12-point scale.