DUSHANBE, May 20, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- This year’s heavy rainfalls and resulting floods and mudslide have caused casualties among the population and significant damage to Tajikistan’s economy, Siroijiddin Aslov, Ambassador of Tajikistan to the United Nations, said in an interview with the UN Radio on September 19, according to the UN News Center.

According to him, the government of Tajikistan has appealed to the United Nations and other international organizations for urgent assistance with mitigation of effects of natural disasters that hit the country.  There are casualties among the population.  Among the disaster victims are also children.

In all, natural disasters hit 40 cities and districts in all regions of Tajikistan.

According to the preliminary estimates, damage caused by disasters amounts to more than 100 million U.S. dollars, Aslov said.

200 residential houses were destroyed completely.  Hundreds of social and cultural facilities, including hospitals and schools, were partially or completely destroyed.  Many residential buildings were seriously damaged and 10,000 people have been left homeless.

160 kilometers of roads were damaged and 40 bridges were destroyed in the country.

Disaster also caused serious damage to the agrarian sector.  More than 3,000 head of cattle were killed.

The country’s authorities are taking all possible measures to provide assistance to the disaster-hit population.  However, Tajikistan is not able to remove all the disaster effects on its own.  The country is experiencing shortage of building materials, fuels, foodstuffs, medicines, seeds, tenets and mobile generators.  That is why the country’s leadership has appealed to the United States for an urgent assistance.