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Another tremor, more damages

8 November 2009

Another earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale that struck on October 29 caused further damage to properties in Pemagatshel Dzongkhag.
According to Dzongda Gholing Tshering, while some homes sustained damages, the damages this time were minimal. The inspection teams reported that while some homes sustained minor cracks, the cracks caused by earlier quake had widened in some cases.
The latest figures show that eight houses in Khar Gewog suffered minor damages. Three houses in Shumar Gewog, five houses in Chongshing Gewog, three houses in Chimung Gewog and another two in Dungmin Gewog suffered minor damages.
The academic block, hostels and two staff quarters of a primary school in Chimung Gewog reportedly sustained major structural damages. “We have already supplied tarpaulin sheets and started building temporary sheds for classes to continue uninterrupted,” said the dzongda.
Zimzore Lhakhang under Dungmin Gewog had some minor cracks developed on its walls following the last quake. There were no reports of damages from the rest five gewogs of Pemagatshel.
The dzongkhag team reported that while they received scores of damage reports initially, the team, upon inspection, found only a few new damages. “We had to inspect every household in some villages but found nothing that could be attributed to the recent quake,” said Sangay Gyeltshen from the dzongkhag revenue section. He said that in some cases people showed rotting timbers, which had nothing to do with the quake while some showed old cracks.
“We are committed to provide any help to genuine victims of the disasters but it is important to ensure that we prevent people from exploiting the situation,” said the dzongda. He cited an example where a farmer had nothing to show to the inspection team other than a clump of mud plaster which got dislodged from the wall.
“If we were to go by whatever was being reported, we could land up paying almost all the houses.” The dzongkhag is at the moment working out the estimates of the damages which will then be forwarded to Royal Insurance Corporation of Bhutan for insurance claims.
RICB paid Nu 3.983 million for the September 21 quake damages and another Nu 130,000 for windstorm damages of September 29.
Meanwhile, the dzongda said that repair works on private homes that sustained damages in the earlier quake had already begun with the chiwog tshokpas entrusted to monitor the repair works. This is being done to ensure that the money received from the insurance is properly used for repair and rebuilding the affected homes.

Another earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale that struck on October 29 caused further damage to properties in Pemagatshel Dzongkhag.

According to Dzongda Gholing Tshering, while some homes sustained damages, the damages this time were minimal. The inspection teams reported that while some homes sustained minor cracks, the cracks caused by earlier quake had widened in some cases.

The latest figures show that eight houses in Khar Gewog suffered minor damages. Three houses in Shumar Gewog, five houses in Chongshing Gewog, three houses in Chimung Gewog and another two in Dungmin Gewog suffered minor damages.

The academic block, hostels and two staff quarters of a primary school in Chimung Gewog reportedly sustained major structural damages. “We have already supplied tarpaulin sheets and started building temporary sheds for classes to continue uninterrupted,” said the dzongda.

Zimzore Lhakhang under Dungmin Gewog had some minor cracks developed on its walls following the last quake. There were no reports of damages from the rest five gewogs of Pemagatshel.

The dzongkhag team reported that while they received scores of damage reports initially, the team, upon inspection, found only a few new damages. “We had to inspect every household in some villages but found nothing that could be attributed to the recent quake,” said Sangay Gyeltshen from the dzongkhag revenue section. He said that in some cases people showed rotting timbers, which had nothing to do with the quake while some showed old cracks.

“We are committed to provide any help to genuine victims of the disasters but it is important to ensure that we prevent people from exploiting the situation,” said the dzongda. He cited an example where a farmer had nothing to show to the inspection team other than a clump of mud plaster which got dislodged from the wall.

“If we were to go by whatever was being reported, we could land up paying almost all the houses.” The dzongkhag is at the moment working out the estimates of the damages which will then be forwarded to Royal Insurance Corporation of Bhutan for insurance claims.

RICB paid Nu 3.983 million for the September 21 quake damages and another Nu 130,000 for windstorm damages of September 29.

Meanwhile, the dzongda said that repair works on private homes that sustained damages in the earlier quake had already begun with the chiwog tshokpas entrusted to monitor the repair works. This is being done to ensure that the money received from the insurance is properly used for repair and rebuilding the affected homes.

By Gyembo Namgyel

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