VIEWPOINTS : Extreme vulnerability to natural catastrophes
“This year we have been subjected to flash flooding which has destroyed some of our land,” testifies Mohamed Zahir, a farmer from Sare Dara Ophorak in the district of Ruy-e-Doab. “And now we are faced with drought which has dried up our growing crops. There will be no harvest this year’.
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In April 2010, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL responded to an earthquake which shook the province of Samangan by setting up an emergency shelter project for 443 families in the Ruy-e-Doab District, before winter set in. |
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Like this farmer, the rural populations suffer from extreme vulnerability in the face of natural disasters and the consequences of climate change. On average, 400,000 people are affected each year by natural disasters: floods, drought, earthquakes, avalanches, landslides/ mudslides, intense cold, etc.
“In parallel with efforts to develop agricultural enterprise, humanitarian organisations must have the ability to manage emergencies, which populations are unable to overcome themselves, in order to reduce the impact. This is the whole point of the natural risk reduction program led by SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL along with several other NGOs. Our objective is to improve the coordination of our aid schemes and, thus, to cover the needs mainly through surveillance and regular sharing of information, as well as the prepositioning of emergency stocks (food, shelter, hygiene kits, etc.)”.
“The epicentre was at Ruy-e-Doab, where our base is located” explains Hassan El-Sayed, our Head of Mission. “443 families from the villages involved were affected, their houses were destroyed. Winter came less than six months later. Temperatures at altitude would be very low. We have therefore established an emergency shelter project to provide them with adequate accommodation.”
To know more about our action in Afghanistan
Update: September 2011 |
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