Disease of Devastation

Epidemics feared in Koryakia after earthquake

The Olyutorsky district of Koryakia, which was hit by the strongest earthquake in recent years on April 21, continues to live in a state of emergency. And although, as noted in the Kamchatka branch of the geophysical service of the Russian Academy of Sciences, seismic activity in the region has decreased significantly, a repetition of a strong earthquake is still quite possible. Residents of Koryakia felt the last tangible shock on Sunday. Its magnitude was 4.8 points. Meanwhile, specialists from the Kamchatka Institute of Volcanology, working at the epicenter of the earthquake, reported that the waters of one of the local rivers near the village of Khailino smell strongly of hydrogen sulfide. This indicates deep movements in the earth's crust. However, the exact cause will only be established after detailed research. According to seismologists, in any case, this should be considered an indicator of an increase in seismic hazard and taken into account when predicting earthquakes.

As reported in the Kamchatka regional center of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, work continued on Monday to evacuate the affected residents and transfer humanitarian cargo to the disaster area. Six flights were made during daylight hours. In total, according to the latest data, 534 people were taken out of the destroyed villages. According to Deputy Governor of the Kamchatka Region Alexander Chistyakov, children and women evacuated from Koryakia are planned to be housed in one large, comfortable base. It is possible that the Voskhod children's health camp will be used to organize a temporary camp. A complete medical examination of all victims will be provided here. As reported by the regional administration, most children from the villages of Korfa and Tilichiki lost their medical records as a result of the earthquake, where possible chronic diseases were noted.

Food products (stewed meat, condensed milk, 1,500 sets of disposable tableware), field kitchens, tents, warm clothes, medicines, medical workers, welders with equipment, and rescuers from the Far Eastern regional search and rescue team are delivered to the Olyutorsky district. In total, 1,411 people and about 250 pieces of equipment are already involved in eliminating the consequences of the earthquake.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Emergency Situations reported the first successes in restoring the economy destroyed by the disaster. In the village of Tilichiki, all water supply networks have been sealed and boiler houses have been restored. 35 houses are connected to electricity - half of the village's housing stock. However, people are still afraid to return to houses completely covered with cracks. They also managed to start up a diesel power plant, but workers are strictly forbidden to enter its building. Rescuers fear that the vibrations of a running generator could simply cause the walls to collapse. This risk had to be taken to ensure the supply of light to vital facilities - a hospital and a bakery. A dim lamp is also burning in the emergency response headquarters. But if two days ago people were cooking food over fires, now hot meals are provided in the affected villages.

In the neighboring village of Korf, four boiler houses are ready for operation. Two cooks work at the food station. A field heating and nutrition point near the airport has been prepared. The kindergarten is ready to accommodate up to 120 people with hot food provided. The bakery is ready for work, a supply of flour has been created for one month.

The authorities are also solving the problem of the safety of property left in abandoned houses. In villages affected by earthquakes, police are patrolling abandoned housing. No cases of looting have been registered yet. A special convoy arrived from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to Tilichiki to transport several accused, detained by local police before the earthquake, to the mainland.

Meanwhile, one problem may be replaced by another. On Monday, the chief sanitary doctor of the Kamchatka region, Natalya Zaraichenkova, announced possible outbreaks of mass infectious diseases in temporary camps where people affected by the earthquake were housed. Doctors are especially concerned about the situation in the village of Tilichiki, where there are no public toilets, the sewage system is destroyed and complete unsanitary conditions reign. So far, the spread of acute diseases is being restrained by relatively cold weather, but spring will very soon reach Koryakia.

Ilya SERGEEV, Palana