Attachments
Introduction
Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – the five republics of Central Asia – are particularly exposed to natural disasters such as landslides, avalanches, floods, earthquakes, droughts, and melting glaciers. These disasters cause considerable loss of life, destroy homes and livelihoods, and hinder long-term development.
What are the needs?
The impact of climate change coupled with the diverse geography of Central Asia - which ranges from mountains to steppes, and from deserts to large river systems - make this region particularly vulnerable to natural disasters. Most Central Asian countries regularly experience floods, landslides, mudflows, avalanches, and droughts.
The region lies on numerous fault lines, which make it one of the most seismically active areas in the world; earthquakes are the leading threat. While the largest cities in Central Asia (with growing populations) are especially at risk, earthquakes can also trigger secondary events such as landslides and mudflows, which threaten almost two-thirds of the entire population of the region. Even if some countries are better equipped than others to cope with natural hazards, disaster risk reduction has become a priority for the whole region. Significant progress has been made in the last years; however, a comprehensive disaster management capacity still needs to be achieved.