KULOB, February 27, Asia-Plus – An exercise on practicing disaster relief was held in Khatlon’s Vose district on February 27.
The exercise scenario was based on flooding destroying completely highway and railway bridges in the district and a train loaded with pesticides felling in the Surkhob River. Major-General Mahmadullo Halimov, the first deputy head of the Committee for Emergency Situations (CES), was in overall command of the exercise, which involved 171 rescuers from Vose, Kulob and Temourmalik districts.
The project officer, Ms. Manzoura Nazaramonova, told Asia-Plus that 30 village-level rescue groups had been established under support of British Oxfam and Danish Mission East. According to her, over two years of training of the groups, they have been provided with necessary equipment, and more than $50,000 have been spent for purchase of the necessary equipment.
On completion of the project, the rescue groups numbering four persons each which will be placed in 24 villages across the Kulob region and 15 professional rescuers will work with the Kulob emergency management agency, Nazaramonova said.
Bahrom Rahmatulloyev, project manager at the Mission East office in Kulob, said that the Mission will construct evacuation points and warehouses for rescuers’ equipment.
According to him, the project aims to strengthen capacity of rescue teams to respond to floods in the areas of Yakhsou and Surkhob rivers.
Tajikistan is prone to natural disasters such floods, earthquakes and landslides.
Oxfam is strengthening the capacity of our own team, civil society and the government in responding to such disasters. This program focuses on building capacities, involving communities – including school children – and coordinating with the government.
Mission East helps communities to recognize risks, and to learn skills to prepare for disaster. Activities also include flood early warning systems, training in more earthquake resistant construction, and establishing village-level rescue groups.
