cabar.asia
In Tajikistan, the authorities are not involved
in disaster prevention
in disaster prevention
photo: tj.sputniknews.ru
Every year in Tajikistan, natural disasters cause a large number of fatalities and cause enormous economic damage. Experts believe that the authorities do not pay sufficient attention to disaster prevention.
The July 2021 mudslides in the Panjakent region killed 12 people, including four children.
The July 2021 mudslides in the Panjakent region killed 12 people, including four children.
Boymurod Ismoilov - lost eight people in the disaster
Boymurod Ismoilov, the 86-year-old head of the family that lost eight people in the disaster, told CABAR.asia that he had never experienced anything like this in his entire life. He can't remember such heavy rains and mudslides occurring in July.
According to him, the tragedy took place in Kataier, a summer pasture located 30 kilometers from the village. In summer, people go to the mountains for four to five months to graze their cattle and live in tents.
"When the mudflow came down, everyone tried to hide in these tents. But both the tent and the people themselves were buried under mud. Employees of the Panjakent city and province emergency committee, along with villagers, worked hard to find the bodies of the dead. A helicopter and a search team arrived at the accident site," he said.
Boymurod Ismoilov said he and his family, like others in the area, live off the income from farming and cattle breeding and remittances from relatives working in migrant labor. His son, whose wife and four children were killed, returned from migration to bury his loved ones. Ismoilov also lost two other children and a sister in the tragedy.
photo: www.pexels.com
According to him, the tragedy took place in Kataier, a summer pasture located 30 kilometers from the village. In summer, people go to the mountains for four to five months to graze their cattle and live in tents.
"When the mudflow came down, everyone tried to hide in these tents. But both the tent and the people themselves were buried under mud. Employees of the Panjakent city and province emergency committee, along with villagers, worked hard to find the bodies of the dead. A helicopter and a search team arrived at the accident site," he said.
Boymurod Ismoilov said he and his family, like others in the area, live off the income from farming and cattle breeding and remittances from relatives working in migrant labor. His son, whose wife and four children were killed, returned from migration to bury his loved ones. Ismoilov also lost two other children and a sister in the tragedy.
photo: www.pexels.com
This year, several villages in the Panjakent region - Kishtudak, Veshist, Dashti Kazi, and Amondara - have been hit by mudslides. A mudflow in Amondara killed a pensioner on August 7. A landslide in the village of Gezan forced the Committee for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense (CoES), along with villagers and volunteers, to move dozens of families from neighboring villages to safer locations within a week.
This summer's natural disaster destroyed hundreds of homes, buildings, and service facilities, washed-out roads, knocked down power lines, destroyed orchards, fields, and bridges, people lost hundreds of heads of their livestock, and human lives were also lost.
According to official data, this year's heavy rains caused enormous damage to Tajikistan's economy. Particularly, the May 11 disaster has affected 15 towns and districts of the country and killed 9 people.
The mudslide in the southern city of Kulyab alone caused 46 million TJS (US $4 million) worth of damage. Forty-three houses were reportedly completely destroyed and about 102 houses were partially damaged.
Authorities in Panjakent say they used all resources to cope with the disaster and help the victims.
The mudslide in the southern city of Kulyab alone caused 46 million TJS (US $4 million) worth of damage. Forty-three houses were reportedly completely destroyed and about 102 houses were partially damaged.
Authorities in Panjakent say they used all resources to cope with the disaster and help the victims.
photo: news.tajweek.tj
Muhammadsodir Safarzoda, first deputy mayor of Panjakent, told CABAR.asia that the Emergency Situations Committee helicopter and its rescue team came from Dushanbe by direct presidential order since all roads to the site of the accident were washed away. The rescuers, together with villagers, pulled the bodies of the dead from under the mud.
As soon as we received the information, we immediately went to the location of the accident. A special commission worked to assess the damage. Several more bodies of the victims, who had been taken down from the mountain to the bank of the Zarafshan River by the mudflow, were also found and removed.
Safarzoda said the area is located in the mountains and, in terms of its geographic location, there is an annual risk of mudslides, floods, landslides, rockfalls, strong winds, and avalanches.
There are more than 80 large and small rivers in the area that are prone to natural disasters, he said. They must build dams for stability and safety. There are plans, but not enough money. However, Safarzoda said, if necessary, they can use all the equipment available in the city, regardless of who owns it.
There are more than 80 large and small rivers in the area that are prone to natural disasters, he said. They must build dams for stability and safety. There are plans, but not enough money. However, Safarzoda said, if necessary, they can use all the equipment available in the city, regardless of who owns it.
photo: tj.sputniknews.ru
Lieutenant Colonel Parviz Amonzoda, head of the department of the Panjakent Emergency and Civil Defense Committee, told CABAR.asia that the Panjakent mayor has an emergency headquarters that includes representatives from all departments and divisions of the local government.
“
We use what we have. When equipment is needed, for example, the RMD (Road Maintenance Departments) or other departments necessarily provide it to us. On the other hand, we make a full report with all the damage and send it to the local government because the Committee for Emergency Situations itself is not able to provide financial assistance.
According to Amonzoda, the Committee is working hard "to relocate families to safer places, fortify the banks of rivers and streams or find bodies trapped in avalanches or mudslides."
"But the reality is that our city's emergency committee doesn't even have its own building. We need both buildings and special equipment such as bulldozers, tractors and excavators that can be used in such cases, as well as skilled workers," Amonzoda said.
The head of the CoES and Civil Defense department says that specific information about dangerous and vulnerable places is identified and every year the necessary work to prevent disasters is carried out.
"This same year we secured some flood- and mudflow-prone places in the villages of Mingdona, Zebon, Mazor, and Kosatorosh. We relocated ten families, whom we call environmental migrants, to safe areas. We installed hundreds of meters of special stone and cement barriers along the banks of the Zarafshan River. But natural disasters sometimes lead to things no one expects. For example, the Kishtudak mudslide - no one ever recalls something like that happened before," said Aminzoda.
"But the reality is that our city's emergency committee doesn't even have its own building. We need both buildings and special equipment such as bulldozers, tractors and excavators that can be used in such cases, as well as skilled workers," Amonzoda said.
The head of the CoES and Civil Defense department says that specific information about dangerous and vulnerable places is identified and every year the necessary work to prevent disasters is carried out.
"This same year we secured some flood- and mudflow-prone places in the villages of Mingdona, Zebon, Mazor, and Kosatorosh. We relocated ten families, whom we call environmental migrants, to safe areas. We installed hundreds of meters of special stone and cement barriers along the banks of the Zarafshan River. But natural disasters sometimes lead to things no one expects. For example, the Kishtudak mudslide - no one ever recalls something like that happened before," said Aminzoda.
"This year's damages from the disasters are estimated at about 7 million simonis (about $620,000)".
photo: tj.sputniknews.ru
photo: tj.sputniknews.ru
Experts say Tajikistan's emergency and civil defense units lack the capacity to prevent such incidents and other disasters. They lack money, the necessary manpower, and special equipment.
Local expert Turdi Solehzoda stated that the necessary conditions for improving emergency services are not in place.
Local expert Turdi Solehzoda stated that the necessary conditions for improving emergency services are not in place.
“
The staff of the Committee for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense is small. Suppose a natural disaster strikes several villages at once, for example, the level of rivers rises. What can the Emergency Committee department do with three or four employees? Another issue is that they have no specialists, no one wants to work in these positions, because they are low-paid. They don't even have fuel to use an excavator provided by any organization.
Solehzoda said it is necessary to activate a modern disaster prevention system and open a special Fund for disaster relief at the national level, where both government agencies and everyone who wishes can transfer money for assistance.
"On the other hand, villagers need to insure their houses, land and cars so that they can compensate in such cases," Safarzoda said.
"On the other hand, villagers need to insure their houses, land and cars so that they can compensate in such cases," Safarzoda said.
Injured resident of Kishtuk village
A resident of the affected village of Kishtuk, who wished to remain anonymous, told a CABAR.asia reporter that he does not believe local authorities will take lessons from July's tragedy.
"It's been a few months and we see that nothing is being done. Spring will come and the mudslides and floods will come again, and we will suffer again," the resident said.
photo: asiaplustj.info
"It's been a few months and we see that nothing is being done. Spring will come and the mudslides and floods will come again, and we will suffer again," the resident said.
photo: asiaplustj.info
Between 1992 and 2020, debris flows, avalanches, floods, earthquakes and landslides affected a total of 7 million people and caused about $2 billion in damage to the economy.
According to Tajikistan's Committee for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense, the country has identified 1,471 risk zones where natural disasters can occur. About 860,000 people live there.
According to the committee, these zones have a very high risk of landslides, avalanches, rockfalls, mudflows, and other natural disasters. Avalanches (55%) and mudflows (10%) are the most frequent types of disasters in Tajikistan.
According to Tajikistan's Committee for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense, the country has identified 1,471 risk zones where natural disasters can occur. About 860,000 people live there.
According to the committee, these zones have a very high risk of landslides, avalanches, rockfalls, mudflows, and other natural disasters. Avalanches (55%) and mudflows (10%) are the most frequent types of disasters in Tajikistan.
This material was prepared within the framework of the IWPR project "Amplify, Verify, Engage: Information for Democratisation and Good Governance in Eurasia", funded by the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, and the mentoring program of the "Development of New Media and Digital Journalism in Central Asia" project, implemented by the Institute for War Reporting and Peace (IWPR) with the support of the UK Government. The content of this publication does not reflect the official views of IWPR, the Norwegian Foreign Office, or the UK Government.
