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Kyrgyzstan + 1 more

Kyrgyzstan/Uzbekistan - Dam Burst - Disaster Situation Report No. 1

Ref: OCHAGVA - 98/0238
General Situation:

1. On 8 July 1998, as a result of a melting glacier, the water level in the river Shahimardan, located at the border of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, rose dramatically, and the river flooded the villages of Pulgon, Kadamjai and Kyzyl Bulak in Kyrgyzstan and the village of Shahimardan in Uzbekistan.

2. The Emergency Response Commission headed by the Minister of Emergency of the Kyrgyz Republic visited the disaster site and confirmed that:

- the flood was caused by burst of high mountain glacier lake located at the Allaudin glacier of the Alay mountain range.

- the water wave from the glacier reached and flooded the affected villages along the rivers Ak Suu and Shahimardan.

3. The preliminary damage assessment is as follows:

  • 42 human causalities (all citizens of Uzbekistan)
  • Several houses destroyed and/or evacuated
  • A portion of the road washed out
  • One bridge crashed, and the water supply system in Pulgon village ruined
  • 30 power poles washed out
  • 4 power substations put out of operation.

Disaster Relief Operations:

4. The following equipment and personnel have been deployed for SAR operations:

- 2 cranes, 1 bulldozer, 2 tractor, 3 trucks and 50 people were deployed to carry out emergency repair works. The water flooding a main power station is being pumped by a 15 person team, one special truck and one pump.

- 1 tractor, 1 crane, 1 excavator, 1 truck and 30 people have been deployed in Pulgon. The roads are being repaired by the efforts of a specialized team, 1 tractor and one truck. 5 tonnes of gasoline have been released by the Kyrgyz Government. Military units from the city of Fergana have been deployed to assist the affected people

5. Five emergency teams have been dispatched to assess the emergency situation and take immediate actions to rescue people. 6 Kyrgyz physicians are working on the assessment and monitoring of the epidemiological situation in the Kadamjai Rayon in the Kyrgyz Republic.

6. OCHA-Geneva is monitoring the situation in close cooperation with the Permanent Mission of Kyrgyzstan in Geneva, the Permanent Mission of Uzbekistan in New York and the Offices of the UNDP/OCHA Resident Coordinators in Bishkek and Tashkent.

7. For coordination purposes, donors are requested to inform OCHA-Geneva, as indicated below, of relief missions, pledges or contribution and their corresponding values by item. This is OCHA?s last situation report on this emergency.

Telephone Number: +41-22-917-1234
In case of Emergency only: +41-22-917-2010
Desk Officer: Mr. S. Piazzi, Direct Tel. + 41-22-917-3518
Telex: 414242 OCHA CH
Fax: +41-22-917-0023
E-mail: Info@dha.unicc.org

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