EARTHQUAKE IN ASHKHABAD, OCTOBER 1948

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R002800020009-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 25, 2001
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: May 19, 1949
• Content Type: REPORT

CONFIDENTIAL
Appr~IFj9bft~As11/23 : CIA-RDP82-00457R002800020009-
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT NO.
INFORMATION REPORT CD NO.
COUNTRY USSR DATE DISTR. 19 May 1949
SUBJECT Earthquake in Ashkhabad. October 1948 NO. OF PAGES 1.
PLACE 25X1A
ACQUIRED 25X1A
RETAIN OR DESTROY NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTEO BELOW)
DATE OF INFO SUPPLEMENT TO
25X1X REPORT NO.
25X1X - 25X1X
Oornta The following information was requested
yro wa: AM ad durinr, the earthquake, in order to learn what
emergency measures are taken during au unforeseen disaster in that area,
25X1X
states that all buildin??s in Ashkhabad were completely destroyed
by the earthquake of October 19480 with the exception of the throe.,,
story structures: housing the bank and the MV]). Four electric plants
wens destroyed.
25X1X
roe days after the oarthqual n and
states ` kiat mere Was no "W of of water, li f hts? radio broadcasting,
or telephone. The local paper. Rabochi Klass, was moved to Tashkent
because the plant had been destr-oy-O =,.IT -was reported in the 1c.~cai
25X1X newspaper that electricity and radio broadcasting were restored in eight
tated that
also
the
t
b
t
t
paper
s
ecause
emen
,
a
daysw doubts this s
the city was furnishing its arras bread in t e days at a time when two
trains daily from Krasnovodsk were carrying bread to the destroyed city.
3. The H VD took complete charge of rescue work. All living inhabitants.
including worsen and ohildrei were mobilized under IND supervision.
They were given the status of members of the armed forces. Armed
guards prevented them from leaving the pity,
4. Four ministers, including the I.Iinister of Transportationp the I,Liniater
of Eoon.omy, and the Minister of Comimmioations of the Turkmen Republic,
were reportedly killed, Many Turlcaen railway officials attending a
conference in the city ale.. diode
5a 1rovda reported that 354,000 people were killed in the vicinity of
W ads but t!' 1A local ? r.> r stated that 4500000 died. The director
of the local paper and the writer of the report were both sentenced to
ton years' imprisonment for disagreement with Pravda,
This document is hereby regraded to
CONFIDENTIAL in accordance with the
letter of 16 October 1978 from the
Director of Central Intelligence to the
Archivist of the United States.
CONFIDENTIAL
Next Review Date: 2008 CLASSIFICATION
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