Cold wave in Tajikistan Situation Report No.

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Situation Report No. 4 – Tajikistan – Cold Wave/Compound crisis (25 February 2008)

This report is based on information provided by the Rapid Emergency Assessment and Coordination Team
(REACT), the Committee of Emergency Situations and the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Tajikistan.

HIGHLIGHTS

On 18 February, an appeal for USD 25,192,839 was launched by the humanitarian community in
Tajikistan to support the Government in addressing the needs of two million people already affected by
the compound crisis.

The Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) approved several grants for a total of USD 5.2 million
covering five projects in emergency energy, health, WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) and food
security sectors.

The UN Resident Coordinator, in consultation with the REACT members, has decided to use the cluster
approach to further improve response coordination mechanisms and strengthen the existing sectoral
groups.

SITUATION sanitation, shelter and NFIs, health, food, education,

1. Weather in Tajikistan remains instable: last
week started with warmer temperatures which
returned below zero and were accompanied by snow
later during the week. In some areas, such snowfalls
combined with occasional above zero temperatures
have led to an increase of avalanches.
2. While the water inflow to Nurek Reservoir
has increased almost by 2.5 (80-100 m3/sec on
February 19th versus 36 m3/sec on January 28th), the
reservoir is only 0.9 m above the run-of-the-river
mode, the stage where a significant drop in output
would occur. At present, only two out of the nine
turbines are operating in order to reduce the water
outflow and maintain the water level in the reservoir.
NEEDS ASSESSMENT
3. Based on the different rapid needs
assessments carried out by the REACT partners,
priority projects were identified and outlined in the
Flash Appeal document. Most important needs were
identified in the following sectors: water and
agriculture, economic recovery and infrastructure,
coordination and support services.
4. A WFP/NGO assessment will be deployed
over the next few days to assess logistical support
needs.
INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
5. In response to the request from the
government for international support, REACT
partners, comprising UN, NGOs and Red Crescent,
launched an appeal for assistance on 18 February
2008. The appeal seeks USD 25,192,839 to help
international partners (seven United Nations agencies
and five international NGOs) support the
Government of Tajikistan in addressing the needs of
two million people already affected by the compound
crises, as well as to undertake preparedness measures
for potential flooding in Rash Valley and Khatlon
Province during the spring melt.
6. On 21 February the Central Emergency
Response Fund (CERF) approved interventions in the

appeal worth US $ 5.2 million. Projects receiving
CERF funding include urgent support to electrical
power and heat generation in Dushanbe, critical
energy supply for dedicated key priority health
facilities, urgent increase in urban water supplies,
prevention of acute respiratory infections (ARI) and
diarrhoeal diseases among under-five children and
emergency assistance to families affected by the food
crisis.
7. Further donations have thus far been
registered on OCHA’s financial tracking service
(http://ocha.unog.ch/fts2) from various donors to
projects inside the Flash Appeal. This includes:
• UNFPA has made available US$ 102,000
from un-earmarked funds to provide
emergency assistance to maternity
hospitals and reproductive health
facilities. According to statistics from the
Ministry of Health, maternal mortality in
January 2008 has increased by 2, 5 times
compared to January 2007;
• Germany has made USD 22,189 available
to CARITAS for response to the
emergency;
• Swiss Development Cooperation has
made available US$ 27,000 to improve
access to water in Kulyab, which provides
partial funding for the Oxfam project in
the flash appeal;
• Estonia has made available USD 50,000 to
UNICEF for assistance to children in
needs of special protection;
• UNICEF has made available USD 99,000
for winterisation of schools;
8. In addition, considerable support has been
mobilized through bilateral and other channels:
• The United States of America has made
US$ 2.4 million available bilaterally and
for NGOs to provide food rations, fuel,
heaters, clothing, household supplies and
health services;
• Germany has made USD 96,154 available
to NGOs for the provision of various
humanitarian goods;
Cold wave in Tajikistan Situation Report No. 4
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• The Iranian Red Crescent Society has
made available goods worth US$ 38,776
to the Tajikistan Red Crescent Society.
The goods, comprising of blankets,
kerosene heaters, nylon sheeting, dried
bread, date, rice and clothes have arrived
via plane in Tajikistan and are in the
process of being distributed;
• Following a visit of the President of
Tajikistan to Iran, the Iranian Government
has committed itself to assist Tajikistan by
sending two trains of fuel for the operation
of power plants in Dushanbe. In addition,
agreements were reached on the
reconstruction of the Yavan power plant
in the South and developmental assistance
for the construction of water plants, a
tunnel which will connect the northern
and central parts of the country, factories,
railway and electricity transfer lines.
• A plane carrying 10,500 kg worth of relief
goods such as blankets, carpets and food
arrived from Saudi Arabia on 17 February.
This is reportedly the first of 8 planes that
Saudi Arabia will be sending as part of a
US$ 10 million grant from the Kingdom.
• The Russian Federation has provided 16
Generators and 168 heating devises which
arrived in Tajikistan on 19 February.
• Turkmenistan has provided 500 tonnes of
diesel fuel.
• Kazakhstan has provided USD 1.5 million
worth of diesel, Low-Sulfur Residual Fuel
Oil and wheat.
• The World Bank is in the process of
procuring 1,500 MT of Low-Sulfur
Residual Fuel Oil to support Barki Tajik
power plant.
9. The UK Government announced in a press
release that it would support projects in the flash
appeal worth USD 1 million.
10. The European Union announced in a press
release that it would support humanitarian
interventions worth Euro 750,000.
 Cold wave in Tajikistan Situation Report No. 4
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COORDINATION Tajikistan to help colleagues on the ground in their

coordination responsibilities as shelter/Non-Food
11. The UN resident Coordinator, after Items sector leads.
consultation with the Chair of the REACT forum and
REACT members, has suggested the use of the 14. The REACT forum continues to meet on a
cluster approach in Tajikistan to further improve the regular basis to exchange information and ensure
response to the current disaster in Tajikistan. The general coordination.
Cluster Approach will bolster the pre-existing 15. Sectoral coordination meetings are also being
REACT Sector/Cluster groups and facilitate logistics, held to ensure common planning and operational
procurement, customs clearance and information coordination.
management and reporting. 16. More information on the relief operation and
12. The pre-existing sectoral working groups and on contributions is available on http://www.untj.org/.
designated leads under REACT are as follows:
This situation report, together with further
Cluster Lead Government lead information on other ongoing emergencies is also
agency available on the OCHA Internet Website at
Emergency UNDP COESCD/REACT http://www.reliefweb.int.
Preparednes
s
Health WHO MOH
Water and UNICEF MOH, MOM&WS
sanitation
Food WFP MOA&E
Security
Education UNICEF MOE
Emergency IFRC COESCD
shelter &
NFIs
Logistics WFP COESCD, MTC
Energy & UNDP MOE&I/MOED&T
Early
Recovery

13. The IFRC regional office in Almaty,

Kazakhstan has send additional personnel to

For detailed information please contact:
Contact Details:
Tel: + 41-22-917 12 34
In case of emergency only:
UN Office in Tajikistan
OCHA Office in Almaty:
Desk Officers/Focal Points:
Press Contact: (Geneva)
(New York)
(Dubai)
Cold wave in Tajikistan Situation Report No. 4
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Fax: + 41 22 917 0023 E-mail: ochagva@un.org
Tel. + 41 22 917 2010
Mr. Michael Jones
Resident Coordinator
Tel: + 992 47 441 0680
Ms. Gabriella Waaijman E-mail: waaijman@un.org
Tel: + 7 727 2528 643
+ 7 777 7809 071
Mr. Ali Buzurukov E-mail: buzurukov@un.org
Tel: + 7 727 2528 643 (English and Russian speaking)
+ 7 777 7809 073
Ms. Séverine Rey E-mail: rey@un.org
(New York)
Tel. + 1 917 367 5336
Fax: + 1 212 963 3630
Ms. AoibheannO'Keeffe E-mail: okeeffe@un.org
(Geneva)
Tel. + 41 22 917 4329
Ms. Elizabeth Byrs E-mail: byrs@un.org
Tel. + 41 22 917 2653
Fax: + 41 22 917 0020
Ms. Christina Bennett E-mail: bennett1@un.org
Tel: + 1 917 367 8059
Fax: + 1 212 963 1312
Ms. Nadia Evans E-mail: evans2@un.org
Tel. + 971 50 227 9808