DECLARATION OF DISASTER IN TAJIKISTAN FOR MUDSLIDES AND

UNCLAS DUSHANBE 000620 STATE ALSO PASS USAID/W BUDAPEST FOR USAID/OFDA REGIONAL ADVISOR ALMATY FOR USAID/OFDA REGIONAL ADVISOR USAID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA RANDREW USAID/W FOR ASIA/AA, DCHA/FFP, DCHA/OFDA STATE FOR SCA GENEVA FOR NKYLOH USUN FOR OFDA REPRESENTATIVE BRUSSELS FOR PBROWN ROME FOR USAID/OHA HSPANOS SECDEF FOR SOLIC JOINT STAFF WASHDC FOR J3/J4/J5 CENTCOM FOR J3/J4/J5 NSC FOR CPRATT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID SOCI PHUM TI SUBJECT: DECLARATION OF DISASTER IN TAJIKISTAN FOR MUDSLIDES AND FLOODING ¶1. THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST. PLEASE SEE PARA 4. ¶2. THE CHIEF OF MISSION HAS DETERMINED THAT A SERIES OF DISASTERS CAUSED BY CONTINUOUS THUNDERSTORMS THIS SPRING IS BEYOND THE CAPABILITY OF THE HOST GOVERNMENT TO RESPOND, IS OF SUFFICIENT MAGNITUDE TO WARRANT U.S. GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE, AND THAT IT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT TO RESPOND. THE CHIEF OF MISSION IS THEREFORE EXERCISING THE DISASTER ASSISTANCE AUTHORITY. ¶3. A SERIES OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAS OCCURRED THROUGHOUT MUCH OF TAJIKISTAN ON AN ALMOST DAILY BASIS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF MARCH. THESE STORMS HAVE RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT FLOODS, FLASH FLOODS, MUDFLOWS, AND LANDSLIDES. ACCORDING TO UNOCHA, AT LEAST 734 FAMILES ARE HOMELESS AND 14,000 HECTARES OF FARMLAND SEVERELY DAMAGED. REPORTS INDICATE THAT 21 PEOPLE HAVE DIED WHILE 15,000 PEOPLE IN MORE THAN 25 DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN IMPACTED. ¶4. POST REQUESTS THAT OFDA RELEASE US $50,000 USDOLS FOR IMMEDIATE RELIEF EFFORTS. THE AMBASSADOR'S AUTHORITY OF 50,000 USDOLS WILL BE USED FOR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE NEEDS FOR THOSE LIVING IN TENT COMMUNITIES, SUCH AS PROVIDING LATRINES, HYGIENE KITS, COOKING SETS, AND OTHER NON-FOOD ITEMS. ALL FUNDS WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION SAVE THE CHILDREN, WHICH MAINTAINS OFFICES AND ONGOING PROGRAMS IN THE AFFECTED AREAS. SUPPLIES WILL BE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH EXISTING DISTRIBUTION MECHANISMS AND IN COOPERATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. ¶5. ADDITIONAL FUNDS MAY BE REQUIRED. BEGINNING THIS SUMMER AND CONTINUING FOR UP TO ONE YEAR, $3.5 MILLION MAY BE REQUIRED FOR RECONSTRUCTION OF SEVERELY DAMAGED HOMES AND SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE. ¶6. OFFICIAL REQUEST AND/OR ACCEPTANCE OF U.S. ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN MADE BY THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO ADDRESS THE LOSS OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL INFRASTURE, HOMES, AND AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES THAT WERE DESTROYED IN THESE STORMS. ¶7. THE HOST COUNTRY AGENCY INVOLVED IN RELIEF OPERATIONS IS THE STATE COMMITTEE FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. THE GOVERNMENT HAS PROMISED TO PROVIDE DISASTER SAFE LAND FOR THE RECONSTURCITON OF HOUSES. ¶8. PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT BY THE UNITED NATIONS, NGOS, AND THE RAPID EMERGENCY ASSESSMENT AND COORDINATION TEAM, WHICH IS A JOINT GOVERNMENT-INTERNATIONAL BODY, INDICATES THAT LIVING CONDITIONS FOR THOSE IN TENT CAMPS ARE DETERIORITING DUE TO HEAVY RAINS. MANY OTHERS ARE LIVING IN UNSTABLE CONDITIONS IN SCHOOLS OR MOSQUES. ¶9. U.S. EMBASSY IN DUSHANBE REPORTS THAT NO U.S. CITIZENS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED. ¶10. BECAUSE OF THE MAGNITUDE OF DISASTER THE U.S. MISSION IS REQUESTING THE FOLLOWING SUPPORT: THAT THE USAID/OFDA ADVISOR COME TO TAJIKISTAN TO ASSIST WITH THE FURTHER ASSESSMENT OF THE DISASTER AND DESIGN OF THE RECOVERY AND PREVENTION ACTIVITIES REQUIRED. ¶11. THE U.S. MISSION IS ANTICIPATING REQUESTING PL-480 FOOD FOR THE NEXT YEAR. APPROXIMATELY $5 MILLION IN WHEAT, LENTILS, AND OIL WILL BE REQUIRED TO SUSTAIN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE LOST THEIR ENTIRE CROP FOR THE 2009 SEASON. JACOBSON UNCLASSIFIED