TWIN MODERATE-MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKES STRIKE IRAN SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, 2012 More lectures at Disasters Supercourse - http://www.pitt.edu/~super1/collections/collection52.htm Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, University of North Carolina, USA

LOCATION MAP

THE EARTHQUAKES (Source: US Geological Survey) Saturday's first quake of M6.4 struck just before 5 pm 60 km (37 miles) northeast of the city of Tabriz at a depth of 9.9 km (6.2 miles). Saturday’s second quake of M6.3 struck 49 km (30 miles) northeast of Tabriz 11 minutes later at a similar depth.

The earthquakes struck in East Azerbaijan province, a mountainous region that neighbors Azerbaijan and Armenia to the north and is predominantly populated by ethnic Azeris, a minority group.

INITIAL IMPACTS Over 1,000 villages were affected, with over 5,000 buildings in 100 villages partially or totally destroyed as concrete-block and mud-brick buildings collapsed. At least 20 villages could not be reached because of impassable roads. People in some villages were in dire need of food and drinking water.

VARZAGHAN: DAMAGE

VARZAGHAN: DAMAGE

INITIAL IMPACTS Over 300 dead (more likely), with over 60 percent being women and children, partly due to the time of day (5 PM) that the quake struck. Over 1,800 injured.

INITIAL IMPACTS (continued) 36,000 people in the quake-hit area were provided with emergency shelter. Many slept on the street and in parks. A field hospital set up in Varzaghan on Sunday to treat the injured was staffed by just two doctors, but ,with shortages of medical supplies and food, was hard pressed to meet the sudden need.

INITIAL IMPACTS (continued) Hospitals in Tabriz (49 km distance) took in many of the injured from the surrounding villages. Water, electricity, and phone lines in the Varzaghan area were all down, further hindering rescue efforts Preliminary loss estimate: $650 million USD

VARZAGHAN: INITIAL S & R MOSTLY BY RESIDENTS; AUG 11th

A CONTROVERSIAL DECISION Search and rescue was stopped after 24 hours and a 2-day period of mourning started

THIS DISASTER EXPOSED POLICY FLAWS UN—PROTECTED UN—PREPARED UN--ABLE TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY

FACT: VILLAGE HOUSES WITH LITTLE OF NO EARTHQUAKE RESISTANCE WILL COLLAPSE, CAUSING DEATHS AND INJURIES The 5 PM occurrence) instead of a 10 PM occurrence) reduced the number of deaths.

SEISMICITY MAP OF IRAN

Iran has many well-known seismically active faults, which have generated devastating earthquakes in recent years, including a M6.6 earthquake in 2003 that destroyed the city of Bam and killed more than 31,000 people

FACT: KNOWING WHERE THE SEISMICALLY ACTIVE FAULTS ARE AND BEING UNPREPARED FOR THE INEVITABLE EARTHQUAKE WILL LEAD TO AN UNNECESSAY DISASTER

FACT: EVEN FOR THE WORLD’S BEST FIRST RESPONDERS, COLLAPSED BUILDINGS, IMPASSABLE ROADS, 60 AFTERSHOCKS, and NIGHTFALL WILL ALWAYS SLOW SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS AND EXACERBATE EMERGENCY RESPONSE

IRANIAN RED CRESCENT WILLING TO ACCEPT INTERNATIONAL AID "We would welcome help by any country," said Iran's parliament speaker, Ali Larijani, during his visit to the earthquake-stricken area on Tuesday, August 14th.

INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE STARTS The Turkish Red Crescent offered to send a truck with emergency supplies to the border. Turkey's Foreign Ministry said it had informed Iran it was ready to help.

RED CRESCENT ASSETS DEPLOYED 1,100 Red Crescent workers were deployed with 44,000 food packages and 5,600 tents for temporary shelter.

The United States offered help and condolences to the people of Iran on Sunday, August 12th.

INTERNATIONAL AID A spokeswoman for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said that they are working closely with Iran's Red Crescent and have set up 6,000 tents to accommodate 16,000 displaced people and are providing basic supplies and blood donations for the victims.