Relief Efforts Continue After Tajik Quake

The earthquake hit Tajikistan's Badakhshan region

DUSHANBE -- Relief efforts are continuing in Tajikistan to provide food and shelter to some 20,000 people left homeless by an earthquake.

No deaths were reported after the magnitude 5.3 quake struck the Pamir Mountains, in the country's southeast, on January 2.

Atobek Subadorov, chief of staff of the district government in Vanj, the area most affected, told RFE/RL that many of those left homeless were being relocated in emergency shelters in schools.

“Many houses were damaged. Ninety-eight houses have been destroyed completely, and according to preliminary estimates, at least 1,078 houses were partially damaged," Subadorov said.

"Many people have left their houses and are living with relatives. We will relocate them to schools, and each family will be given a classroom as a temporary shelter. There are no school classes until January 24, so people can stay in schools until then.”