DUSHANBE, April 19, Asia-Plus  -- 42 natural disasters occurred in the country over the first three months of this year, killing 13 people, Chairman of the Committee for Emergency Situations (CES) Khaibullo Latipov announced at a press conference in Dushanbe on April 18. 

According to him, 24 natural disasters that were registered in the country in the same period of last year also left 13 dead.  

Latipov noted that a damage caused by natural disasters that have occurred in the country over the first quarter of this year has amounted to 32,598,800 somonis.  

On supporting the flood risk management system for the Khatlon province, which one of the most flood-prone areas of the country, Latipov said that 7.462 million somonis had been provided for rehabilitating river bank protection works in the area of the Chubek water-intake facility in the Hamadoni district, on the Surkhob and Yaksou rivers in the Vose district, Toirsuou River in the Temourmalik district and the Tebollai canal near the city of Kulob.

As it had been reported earlier, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on April 17 urgently appealed for $1.4 million so that it can buy and pre-position emergency water, sanitation and cooking items for up to 1,500 households in Tajikistan, which faces the threat of floods and landslides after a severe winter across much of Central Asia.  OCHA said the likelihood of floods and landslides in upcoming weeks remains high following weeks of heavy snow and intense rains.

Commenting on this appeal, the CES head confirmed that there is a high risk of flooding this year in Vakhsh, Hissor and Zarafshon valleys.