Reference : V-P-CG-E-00148
Date : 17/03/2012
Country/Region : CONGO
Caption : Brazzaville, Talangai district. People try to resume their everyday lives in this neighborhood hard hit by the explosion of ammunition stockpiles.
Photographer : s.n.
Confidentiality level : public
Publication restrictions : publication without restrictions
Copyright : ICRC
Description : ICRC website, Operational Update, 22-03-2012

Republic of the Congo: clearing the stricken area and reuniting families

Since ammunition stockpiles exploded in Brazzaville on 4 March, unexploded devices in inhabited areas have been and still are a major hazard for the population and emergency services alike.

"The main thing now is to clear those areas as quickly as possible so that the people who live or work there and want to go back can do so without danger," said Bernard Metraux, the head of the ICRC mission in Brazzaville.

"For people without news of a family member whose body has not been recovered or identified, not knowing what happened is a heavy burden," said Mr Metraux. Although many children have already been reunited with their families, others are still separated from theirs. In areas where displaced people have been accommodated, health-care centres are having to cope with an influx of patients. In addition, the sheer force of the blast and the extent of the damage have had severe psychological consequences for the inhabitants and for rescue workers.

(...)
Original material : digital
Resolution : 3648x2048
Orientation : landscape
Colour/B&W : colour

×
×