DUSHANBE, February 26, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- Precipitation that fell in Tajikistan in February exceeds 20-30 percent of an average rate for this month over the past decade, according to Hydromet.

Hydromet chairperson Jamila Baydulloyeva says such a situation is observed across the whole country, except Gorno Badakhshan and Rasht Valley, where an amount of precipitation is below average rate.

“In Gorno Badakhshan and Rasht valley, snow cover this year is only 30-40 cm, while last year, it was 100 cm,” Baydulloyeva said.  She added that snowfalls are expected in Tajikistan until March 5.

In the meantime, Doustmurod Zabirov, a spokesman for the Committee on Emergency Situations (CES), says risk of further avalanches in the Maikhoura area of Varzob district, some 70 kilometers north of Dushanbe remain high.

CES advises people to avoid unnecessary travels as warmer temperatures have increased the risk of further avalanches in some stretches of the Dushanbe-Khujand highway and in eastern Tajikistan.