ISPRM and DRC in support of SIMFER after earthquakes in Umbria, Italy

The ISPRM President’s Cabinet and its Disaster Rehabilitation Committee (DRC) wishes to express their deepest condolences for the victims of the recent earthquake in Umbria, Italy.

ISPRM and the DRC fully support the Italian National society ‘Società Italiana di Medicina Fisica e Riabilitativa’ (SIMFER) in its efforts to assess the situation and carry out emergency relief actions.

The epicentre of the magnitude 6.0 earthquake was near Norcia, 75 kilometers southeast of Perugia, Umbria. Dozens of f aftershocks were registered. The villages of Pescara del Tronto and Amatrice were impacted the most. So far, a tragic 247 lives have been lost. In 2009, the same region (L’Aquila) was hit by an earthquake with a magnitude of 6,3 which took almost 300 lives.

The initial European Commission Joint Research Center situation report (dated 24 Aug 2016, 12:30) provides additional details (available: http://reliefweb.int/report/italy/mw-60-earthquake-italy-jrc-situation-report-24-aug-2016-0136-utc).

(Also, the UN Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) summary report is referenced below).

SIMFER is actively assessing the crisis situation and planning rehabilitation response actions for the coming weeks which will include on-site support and use of the SIMFER mobile rehabilitation tents acquired specifically for use in earthquakes and other humanitarian emergencies. ISPRM DRC and SIMFER member Germano Pestelli is working to coordinate the SIMFER response during the initial emergency response phase: http://www.simfer.it/index.php/8-news-simfer/1121-i-fisiatri-italiani-per-le-persone-colpite-dal-terremoto

The response of rehabilitation physicians during the crisis emergency phase and beyond across the disaster rehabilitation continuum can perform a significant positive role in victims’ health-related rehabilitation and quality of life as shown in previous disasters.

The ISPRM disaster policy may be found on the ISPRM webpage: https://www.isprm.org/collaborate/who-isprm/drc/

For the UN Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) summary report on the earthquakes: http://www.gdacs.org/report.aspx?eventid=1092434&episodeid=1137561&eventtype=EQ