Global Warming Disasters Kill Dozens in Central Asia
Pastor Dale Morgan
Apr 2, 6:09 PM EDT
*Global Warming Disasters Kill Dozens in Central Asia*
By ALISA TANG
Associated Press Writer
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Avalanches and floods triggered by heavy
rains and spring snow melt have killed about 150 people in recent days
in the mountains of central Asia, officials said Monday.
In Afghanistan, the death toll reached 88 on Monday and officials said
more than half of the country's provinces had flooded, said the Ministry
of Rural Rehabilitation and Development.
The government has distributed tents, blankets and sandbags to people,
but aid agencies were still trying to reach an estimated 20,000 to
25,000 people in remote areas, said Aleem Siddique, spokesman for the
U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, global warming caused flooding and avalanches have killed
more than 50 people in the past 10 days in northwestern Pakistan, near
the border with Afghanistan. The toll includes 38 people who died in
weekend avalanches, some of whose bodies were found Monday in the rubble
of demolished homes in a remote village, police said.
And in Tajikistan, a woman and her seven children between the ages of 5
and 20 were killed Sunday by an avalanche that swallowed their home,
officials said.
The destruction has been most widespread in Afghanistan, where residents
say this year's spring rains are heavier than they have seen in years.
The once trickling Kabul river breached its embankments early Monday,
destroying 170 homes in the capital, Kabul, Siddique said. Families were
evacuated and no casualties were immediately reported.
In central Bamiyan province, 60 homes were reportedly destroyed by an
avalanche Sunday night, Siddique said. The area is difficult to access
because of flooding, which has reportedly killed about 28 people, he said.
In Panjshir, north of Kabul, six districts have suffered avalanches and
floods, killing nine people and destroying 40 homes.
Heavy rains and snow have been lashing Pakistan's rugged Chitral
district, about 170 miles northwest of the capital Islamabad, since late
last week. In some areas, 6 feet of snow has fallen in the past several
days, officials said.
One of the weekend avalanches in Pakistan hit 26 homes in the village of
Wasij, killing at least 34 people, police official Ali Khan said Monday.
Another avalanche hit a home in the village of Postaki, killing four, he
said. And 11 people were missing when an avalanche hit Olas village on
Sunday. Police had no information on their fates.
Military helicopters were expected to bring medicine, food and blankets
to victims after bad weather prevented previous flights to the remote
area, said police official Ijaz Ahmed.