IRIN
AFGHANISTAN: Reduced flood risk - UN
8 April 2005


[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United 
Nations]

KABUL, 8 April (IRIN) - After serious flooding in southern Afghanistan 
in March, humanitarian workers in Kabul have told IRIN the worst is now 
over. "Most of the snow melt which we anticipated would cause flooding 
has now gone so the emergency that we thought might happen is less 
probable," John Odea of the United Nations Assistance Mission in 
Afghanistan (UNAMA) told IRIN on Thursday.

After a very cold winter that killed hundreds of people unprepared for 
the severe weather, Afghanistan faced two serious floods last month, 
affecting thousands of people in the southern provinces of Ghazni, 
Oruzgan, Nimruz and Kandahar.

The most recent flood was in Ghazni when the Band Sultan dam burst due 
to a huge inflow of water from melted snow, killing at least 20 people, 
destroying hundreds of houses and displacing thousands.

The Afghan government, the United Nations and US-led coalition forces 
responded to the emergency by providing, food, shelter medical aid and 
evacuation by helicopter.

"The water has now decreased significantly and the situation [in Ghazni] 
is under control," Ariane Qauentier a senior public information officer 
at UNAMA, told IRIN.

According to UNAMA, a number of working groups have been established to 
set up a coordination mechanism, identify high-risk areas and organise 
the pre-positioning of supplies in regions prone to flooding.

"Right now it is rather good news. We have not had any major floods 
since the flooding in Ghazni," she noted, adding that a joint operation 
centre made up of members of the government and international 
organisations was in place.

However, there is concern that the Ghazni dam disaster could be 
replicated, given how old and poorly maintained many dams in Afghanistan 
are. "The possible risk of widespread flooding is still there, from 
another dam breach, for example," Odea added.


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Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 
2005


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