Completed Development AidData Chinese Aid

Chinese Government provides RMB 5 million grant for Boumerdès earthquake response activities

¥5M RMB

Funder	Unspecified Chinese Government Institution
Recipient Organization	Government of Algeria
Country	Algeria
Start Date	May 23, 2003
End Date	Jun 23, 2033
Duration	10,989 days
Number of Grantees	1
Roles	Recipient
Data Source	AidData Chinese Aid
Grant ID	`14`

Grant Description

On May 23, 2003, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced that it would offer emergency humanitarian aid worth RMB 5 million to the earthquake-hit Algeria. On that same day, the Chinese Government dispatched an earthquake rescue team of 30 personnel to Algeria.

The team was headed by a deputy director of the China Seismological Bureau and it provided aid for the disaster victims. The team brought 3 search dogs and rescue equipment. On May 30, 2003, the team successfully accomplished their mission and returned to China.

In addition to deploying personnel, the Chinese Government also donated materials including tents, blankets, medicine and water purifiers, totaling 1,665 pieces, weighing about 35.5 tons. The last of the supplies arrived in Algiers on June 11, 2003.

📋 Staff Comments

The 2003 Boumerdès earthquake occurred on May 21, 2003 at 19:44:21 local time in northern Algeria. The shock had a moment magnitude of 6.8 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme). The epicentre of the earthquake was located near the town of Thénia in Boumerdès Province, approximately 60 km east of the capital Algiers. The quake was the strongest to hit Algeria in more than twenty years – since 1980, when a magnitude 7.1 earthquake resulted in at least 2,633 deaths. Approximately 2,266 people were killed, 10,261 injured, and 200,000 left homeless as a result of the earthquake. Reports indicate more than 1,243 buildings were completely or partially destroyed. Infrastructure was predictably damaged in Algiers, Boumerdès, Réghaïa and Thénia; roads in Algeria are generally of high quality, but many city streets and local roads were difficult to traverse because of debris from collapsed buildings. Overall, the Boumerdès Province was the hardest-hit region. In the Boumerdès Province, several cities were heavily damaged, with Thénia, Zemmouri, and Boumerdès, being the worst affected.

📚 Sources & References

China International Rescue Team Travels to Earthquack-stricken area of Algeria
China sends rescue team to Algeria
China to offer emergency humanitarian aid to Algeria.
The second batch of earthquake-resistant materials to arrive in Algiers.
China’s first international rescue team departs for Algeria, http://top81.jschina.com.cn/top81bbs/thread.php?cid=1&rootid=731692&id=731723, 2003 Boumerdès earthquake
Chinese government will provide Algeria with 5 million yuan in emergency humanitarian assistance
China's assistance to Algeria's first earthquake-resistant materials arrived in Algiers Loan applications and disbursements are still being received and processed as the projects continue to evolve. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation are in place to ensure project continuity.