DUSHANBE, May 11, 2010, Asia-Plus — On Monday May 10, President Emomali Rahmon held an extraordinary meeting to discuss issues related to mitigation of effects of disasters in Khatlon and Sughd provinces, according to presidential press service.
Speaking at the meeting, the president noted that heavy rains and floods that hit 12 cities and districts of the country over the past week caused numerous casualties. The worst hit areas were Khatlon and Sughd provinces.
Floods and mudflows have damaged more than 2,000 residential buildings and social facilities, 30 bridges and dozens kilometers of roads and power transmission lines. Dozens of people have been killed, more than 50 other people have been reported missing and some 200 residents have been injured, president said.
According to the preliminary estimates, the disasters have caused 900 million somoni worth of damage to the country’s economy.
Since the beginning of this year, when a strong quake jolted the Vanj district in Gorno Badakhshan, some 10,000 hectares of agricultural fields, more than 70 bridges, many river bank reinforcement works, hundreds of kilometers of roads and power transmission lines as well as many schools and hospitals have been damaged or destroyed, Rahmon said, noting that damage caused by this year’s disasters has been estimated at some 2.5 billion somoni.
Speaking at the meeting, the president expressed gratitude to Russian military base 201 deployed in the country as well as the Government of Uzbekistan and Uzbek President Islam Karimov for assistance provided to the disaster-hit population.
Deputy Prime Minister Murodali Alimardon as well as senior heads from the Committee for Emergency Situations (CES) and a number of relevant ministries and departments reported on efforts taken to mitigate effects of the disasters.
According to Alimardon, floods and mudflows have completely destroyed 270 houses in the city of Kulob. Besides, 800 other residential building in the city have been damaged partially.
In all, 1,764 residential buildings across the Kulob zone of Khatlon province have been damaged partially and 453 houses have been destroyed completely. Floods and mudflows have also damaged or destroyed 19 schools, 12 hospitals, 80 bridges, 531 kilometers of roads, 29 kilometers of the river bank reinforcement works, 122 kilometers of canals, 109 kilometers of power transmission and telecommunications lines. 20,000 hectares of agricultural fields have been destroyed by floods and mudflows.
Heads of ministries, departments and banks as well as chairmen of cities and districts of the country noted that they would provide assistance with construction of some 500 residential buildings for the disaster-hit population.
President Rahmon ordered the government commission for disaster relief efforts, heads of relevant ministries and organizations and the Khatlon regional administrators to take adequate measures to provide the disaster-hit population in the Kulob region who had been left homeless with shelter, hot meals and medical services.
