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Tajikistan: Cold Wave - Jan 2013

Disaster description

Temperatures dropping from minus 35 to minus 55 degrees Celsius and heavy snowfall isolated several villages in Murgab District of Badakshan Province of Tajikistan starting on 20 Jan 2013 for several weeks. Blocked roads, power shortages and broken communication lines made it almost impossible to reach the affected areas. The population of Murgab District had been suffering from the consequences of the severe weather conditions since last winter, when the freezing weather resulted in the loss of many oxen, the main income source of the local inhabitants. Last year’s losses of hundreds of livestock left numerous of families in Murgab District without any income source, so families were not able to buy heating fuel and warm clothes and prepare well for the next winter. (IFRC, 8 Feb 2013)

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