Tajikistan, a mountainous Central Asian country, has been hit by a series of natural disasters in the past few days, as torrential rains have triggered flooding, landslides and mudflows that have killed at least 21 people and displaced thousands more.
According to the Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense of Tajikistan, the rains started on Friday, August 25, 2023 and continued until Sunday, August 27, 2023, affecting 14 districts and cities in the country. The worst-hit areas were the Rasht Valley and the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, where several villages were submerged or buried by water and debris.
The committee said that more than 1,500 houses, 30 bridges, 20 schools, 15 health facilities and several roads were damaged or destroyed by the floods and landslides. The authorities have mobilized rescue teams and equipment to search for survivors and provide humanitarian assistance to the affected population.
The President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and ordered the government to take urgent measures to mitigate the impact of the disaster and prevent further casualties. He also thanked the international community for their solidarity and support.
Several countries and organizations have offered their help to Tajikistan in this difficult time. Iran, a neighboring country and a close ally of Tajikistan, sent a message of sympathy and announced that it would provide emergency relief aid to the flood-hit areas . The United Nations, the European Union, the World Bank and other partners also expressed their readiness to assist Tajikistan in its recovery efforts.
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