Appeal for Vladivostock cold victims
Geneva, 17 January 2001

Serious power failures in the Primorski Krai region (the extreme south-east corner of the Russian Federation) during a bitterly cold winter are putting the lives of some 75,000 people at risk. It is estimated 30% of the region's population of 2,250,000 people are affected by the collapse of central heating systems in and around Vladivostok over the last three weeks. The Primorski Krai Red Cross has been taking calls from desperate people affected by the long power cuts - sometimes lasting 16 to 18 hours a day. Because of scarce resources, this branch of the Russian Red Cross had no relief items it could distribute to the population. But the assessment it was able to carry out has permitted the identification of those who need help most. The International Federation is launching an appeal for 80,000 Swiss francs in order to help 20,000 people in the cities of Vladivostok, Partizansk, Rudny and Cristalny. The funds will be used to finance hot meals for children in the most vulnerable families, the local procurement of warm clothes and boots as well as basic medicines such as antibiotics, vitamins and anti-fever drugs. People are forced to live in apartments where the temperature can hover as low as 3 to 5 degrees Celsius. They must wear several layers of clothing, even to bed, in order to keep a minimum of body warmth and they cannot cook. Their daily diet has been reduced to cold sausage, cheese and bread. In extreme cases, when they have no heat at all, people are moving in with friends and families to keep warm.

"I have seen frozen apartments with ice flowing out of the balcony. Unless we get heat very soon, many people will be in desperate circumstances very quickly", says David Mitchell, Federation representative based in Vladivostock. Authorities are working around the clock to attempt to repair the damaged heating systems. In the meantime the number of cases of respiratory and other diseases due to the cold is rising rapidly. Many hospitals are also have no heat and most schools are closed.

"Last weekend, I had power for eight hours out of 48 hours: I have not had a hot meal in 8 days and the sea is frozen as far as you can see. There is not a candle to be bought in Vladivostok", notes David Mitchell.

For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact:

Denis McClean, Head of  Media Service, Geneva
Tel.: +41 22 730 4428   Tel.: +41 79 416 3881

Marie Françoise Borel, press Officer, Geneva Tél.: +41 22 730 43 46

Jo Lowry, Information Delegate, Moscow Mobile : +7 095 766 4625

The Geneva-based International Federation promotes the humanitarian activities of 181 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies among vulnerable people. By coordinating international disaster relief and encouraging development support, it seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The Federation, National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross together, constitute the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.