As Chilean Red Cross relief distributions to families affected by the massive earthquake that struck central Chile on 27 February continue to gain momentum, special emphasis is being given to psychological support for people traumatized by continuing strong aftershocks.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has sent international health teams to support the Chilean Red Cross operation.
More than 200 aftershocks measuring above 5 on the Richter scale have been reported since the disaster a month ago. “These strong tremors are particularly distressing to people trying to recover from the trauma of having lost family members and friends, homes, and livelihoods,” explains Gustavo Ramirez, IFRC regional representative, currently in Chile. “People who live in the coastal areas are not only afraid of the aftershocks but also of any possible tsunamis they may trigger, and even people whose homes have been assessed as being safe are afraid of staying indoors. They wonder whether these aftershocks will ever end.”
The 14-member psychological support team provided by the Spanish Red Cross, supported by staff from the Red Cross Societies of Colombia, Ecuador and Nicaragua, as well as by Chilean Red Cross volunteers, have treated nearly 1,700 adults and children since the disaster. They are working in the region of Maule, and in Santiago. In addition to holding therapeutic sessions with different groups of people affected by the disaster, with a special emphasis on children, they are also training Red Cross volunteers.
To ensure people have access to health care in areas where hospitals have been destroyed, several emergency response units have been set up in the affected regions. The basic health care unit (BHC) from the Spanish Red Cross has treated nearly 1,200 people in Hualañé (Maule region). A second BHC unit sent by the Japanese Red Cross has been set up in Parral (Bio-Bío region) and the surgical field hospital from the Red Cross Societies of Finland and Norway, seconded by Canadian Red Cross staff, is being set up in Pitrufquén (Araucanía region). These facilities will all be turned over to local staff over the next weeks.
Chilean Red Cross volunteers also continue their vital work, conducting assessments, supporting health teams, receiving and packing donated goods, transporting them to the affected areas and distributing food, hygiene articles and emergency items to survivors. To date, more than 2,300 households (11,600 people) have received kitchen utensils, hygiene articles, blankets, jerry cans and tarpaulins, in the Maule and Bío-Bío regions.
The IFRC revised emergency appeal calls for 13 million Swiss francs (12.9 million US dollars / 9.4 million Euros) to fund health services for up to 90,000 people, shelter assistance for 10,000 families (50,000 people), relief items for 75,000 people as well as water and sanitation services for up to 10,000 people, for one year.
To date, only a third of the appeal’s budget has been covered. “We are appealing to donors for funding, to ensure that we can cover not only the emergency needs and early recovery activities, but also support long-term, sustainable Red Cross disaster preparedness programmes. We want to do this not just in the area that was affected by the last earthquake, but all over the country. This is an essential objective for us,” adds Gustavo Ramirez.
To download B-Roll of the Chile earthquake operation, please click here:
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