The Disaster Database Project - Example Entries

Example entries on this page will change periodically to show records which are based on limited information and those in which more extensive data was reported about the event.  Depending on revision work based on new sources, the entries depicted may not be current in comparison with data in the Database itself.   

(1846) Northwestern Afghanistan Flash Flooding ------------------------

Location: Afghanistan
Historical Location:  
Additional Location: Badghis Province, Balamurghab and Ghormach districts, town of Balamurghab
Latitude: 35, 21
Longitude: 070, 09
Maidenhead Field/Grid: MM55
Time Details
Date: 2006 -11-16 CE
Time Frame:  
Start Time:  
End Time:  
Duration:  
Event Details
Class of Event: Natural Disaster
Impact of Event: Population
Type of Event: Flash Flood
Event Intensity: 3 (Disaster Index)
Linked Events:  
Associated Events:  
Other Details
Fatalities 56
Missing: 70
Injured:  
Survivors:  
Animals Killed:  
People Displaced:  
Buildings: 1000
Area Covered  
Cost:  
Citation: The Associated Press, "Afghan flood death toll at 53," CNN.com, http://www.cnn.com/, 2006-11-18. "Many dead in Afghan flash floods," BBC News, http://news.bbc.co.uk/, 2006-11-18.
Phase Details
Phase I Prodrome:  
Factors:  
Phase II Development:  
Factors:  
Phase III Impact: Heavy rains in Balamurghab and Ghormach districts of Badghis Province caused flash flooding that blocked roads and isolated villages in the remote mountain area, completely submerged 5 villages in Balamurghab, and is reported to have washed several villages away. Thousands of residences were reported destroyed. As of 18 Novemeber casualty counts indicated either 53 or 56 dead with at least 10 bodies located in 4 villages in Balamurghab and 5 bodies in Ghormach, and approximately 60 to 70 persons remained missing. 50,000 persons lived in the impact area, and many were feared to be stranded.
Factors: 1: Victims stranded (1e)
2: Victims missing (1e)
3: Transportation services suspended/blocked (1e)
4: Town/village destroyed (1e)
5: Sustained heavy rain (1e)
6: Multiple deaths - human (1e)
7: Flooding - flash (1e)
8: Building destroyed (1e)
 
Phase IV Response: Access to the impact area was restricted to foot or donkey travel or to helicopter transportation. Initial rescue teams reached the impact area by donkey. A small medical team reached the area by 18 November and was treating the injured. Government of Afghanistan teams were beings ent from Kabul and Herat to conduct assessments. North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces in Afghanistan supplied helicopters that were to conduct damage assessment and transport food, clothing, blankets, and medical supplies to the villages cut off.
Factors: 1: Road conditions (1r)
2: Rescue/response impeded (1r)
3: Rescue response (3r)
4: Medical supplies (3r)
5: Helicopter operations (3r)
6: Food (3r)
7: Emergency medical response (3r)
8: Blankets (3r)
9: Assessment - damage (3r)
10: Assessment - needs (3r)
 
Phase V Recovery:  
Factors:  

 (1389) Bad Reichenhall Collapse ------------------------

Location: Germany
Historical Location:  
Additional Location: Bavaria, Bad Reichenhall
Latitude: 47, 41
Longitude: 12, 48
Maidenhead Field/Grid: JN67
Time Details
Date: 2006 -01-02 CE
Time Frame:  
Start Time: 1600
End Time:  
Duration:  
Event Details
Class of Event: Human Systems Failure
Impact of Event: Population
Type of Event: Collapse - Building
Event Intensity: 2 (Disaster Index)
Linked Events:  
Associated Events:  
Other Details
Fatalities 14
Missing: 1
Injured: 30
Survivors:  
Animals Killed:  
People Displaced:  
Buildings: 1
Area Covered  
Cost:  
Citation: "Rink-Collapse Toll Rises," Richmond Times-Dispatch, 4-1-2006, page A2. "More bodies found at German rink," BBC News, http://news.bbc.co.uk/, 4-1-2006. Preisinger, Irene, "Rescue Effort Continues at German Ice Rink," The Associated Press, http://www.comcast.net/, 2006-01-03.
Phase Details
Phase I Prodrome: The roof of a skating rink had been inspected at midday on 2 January, and the amount of snow on the roof, approximately 8 inches, was assessed as being within safe limits at the time. However, snow continued to fall, and town officials planned to close the rink at the end of skating on 2 January. The snow was to be removed by shovelling on the morning of 3 January. A training session for a youth hockey team was cancelled approximately 30 minutes before the collapse as a precaution, but public skating was allowed to continue.
Factors: 1: Operator error (1e)
2: Assessment - danger/threat (1e)
3: Operator response (1e)
 
Phase II Development: Reports indicate a supervisor may have ordered skaters off the ice before the collapse and that a creaking noise was heard before the roof fell.
Factors: 1: Noise (X)
2: Operator response (X)
 
Phase III Impact: The roof of a skating rink collapsed with a very loud noise under a heavy snow load. Approximately 50 people were in the skating rink building at the time of the collapse. 16 of these were reported as being uninjured. By 3 January the death toll was 11; this increased to 14 on 4 January, with 1 missing. Of those killed, 11 were children of various ages. Of the more than 30 injured, 10 remained in hospital on 4 January.
Factors: 1: Snow (1e)
2: Structure collapse (1e)
3: Multiple deaths - human (1e)
4: Age weighted victims (1e)
 
Phase IV Response: Police secured the site. The continuing snow delayed the movement of heavy equipment needed to clear the debris. Large mobile cranes were used to lift sections of the collapsed roof and to lower tethered firefighters to shovel snow from the roof. Assistance was requested from Austria, and by early on the morning of 3 January approximately 500 rescue workers were on scene. 1 victim was recovered uninjured 5 hours after the collapse. When the remains of the roof were stabilized several hours after the fall dog search teams were able to search the building. By early 3 January rescue workers had been able to access approximately half of the rink floor. Hope continued until the morning of 4 January that pockets of air and an igloo effect might have allowed trapped persons to survive; however, at that time 3 sets of remains were recovered and only 1 person remained missing. Reports of sounds that might indicate trapped survivors were denied as being false. With no signs of life from the remaining rubble, it was assessed that no hopes existed for more survivors to be located.
Factors: 1: Urban search and rescue (3r)
2: Signs of life (0r)
3: Sustained heavy snow (1r)
4: Rescue/response impeded (1r)
5: Law enforcement response (3r)
6: Hope (3r)
7: Heavy equipment (3r)
8: International assistance (3r)
 
Phase V Recovery: Police and prosecutors started an official inquiry into the collapse. The Pope sent his condolences.
Factors: 1: Investigation - formal (3r)
2: Condolences (3r)