UN rushes relief funds to flood-hit Tajikistan
The Government, following an appeal for international assistance, has begun to conduct campaigns advising the population to refrain from drinking tap water, although many people may have no other choice, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Because of the landslides and destroyed bridges, the only north-south road link via Dushanbe has become impassable, leaving an estimated 5,000 people stranded and complicating the delivery of clean water by truck.
OCHA has allocated $20,000 to help provide emergency supplies, while the UN Development Programme (UNDP) has contributed $25,000 to purchase vital logistical and communication equipment. In addition, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has been supplying chlorine and helping to enhance hospitals’ response capacity. A $30,000 grant from the Government of the Netherlands was also approved.