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People in Brazzaville may be unaware of the risks posed by unexploded ordnance scattered by Sunday's blast. |
MAG is helping Congolese authorities deal with the deadly fall out after the tragic explosion on 4 March has left homes and streets littered with deadly items.
Listen now: 'Danger After Congo Explosion Not Over', with MAG Chief Executive Nick Roseveare
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MAG teams have been on the ground in the wake of the huge arms depot blast – the most deadly of its kind in the past year.
“We’re helping to put into action an emergency response plan following a request for assistance by the Forces Armées Congoleses,” said Lionel Cattaneo, MAG’s technical expert in Brazzaville.
| Brazzaville, Republic of Congo |
“Currently we’re working with Army teams to cool down depots, homes and other hazardous areas after five further explosions occurred this morning.
"Although most fires are under control, it is not expected that they will be fully extinguished until later today, perhaps even tomorrow [Wednesday] morning.”
On the threat of explosions at other armouries close by, Lionel said: “It’s now thought that any armouries in the vicinity were destroyed in the blast. We’re mapping the ammunition depots that exploded, so we can get a better idea of the scale of the problem.”
Efforts are now turning to the hundreds of unexploded and unstable munitions and weapons kicked out across the city by the blast.
Lionel said: “Our main focus is now on preventing further loss of life caused by unexploded ordnance [UXO], which we believe includes rockets and mortars.
“In situations like this, when UXO is scattered around homes and streets, a population who are wholly unaware of the risks is a real issue. These items are indiscriminate in choosing their victims. If tampered with, they can kill. Children, who are naturally inquisitive, are usually most at risk.
“Our Community Liaison staff are already in the community providing safety messages to affected areas. A hotline to help report and warn people of the dangers has already been so swamped with calls that we’ve had to set up a further two."
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Three telephone hotlines have been set up to help people report the dangers. [Photos: MAG RoC] |
MAG technicians and the army are due to carry out an assessment of the area tomorrow to enable critical clearance operations to get under way.
Added Lionel: “In these situations, speed really is of the essence if we want to prevent further needless deaths.”
Nick Roseveare, MAG Chief Executive, said: “The response to this tragedy is an example of how organisations like MAG, affected states and the international community can provide rapid assistance after an explosion.
"But cooperation on Physical Security and Stockpile Management operations can also help to avoid these incidents.
“MAG currently has teams in Somalia, Libya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and South Sudan that are working with governments to safeguard armouries and taking measures to avert exactly this kind of tragedy.”
6 March 2012
MAG Chief Executive Nick Roseveare speaks to PRI's The World in the aftermatch of the Brazzaville arms depot explosion.
Read the transcript here: www.theworld.org/2012/03/brazzaville-congo-explosion/
7 March 2012
See also:
MAG: Emergency response
Other resources:
Unplanned Explosions at Munitions Sites [Small Arms Survey website]
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