Showing posts with label natural-disasters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label natural-disasters. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Avalanches in Afghanistan

Afghanistan had a winter with little snowfall - which is a concern for the farmers that rely on the snow melts of the mountains to feed the streams and rivers that irrigate the crops in spring. However, a lot of snow has recently showed up - causing floods, avalanches, deaths, road blockages, and energy shortages. One geologist, Ikramuddin Bahram, feels that the Afghan government and international community could do much more to minimize the damage these natural disasters cause. He provides and explanation of avalanches in Afghanistan and he recommends a series of measures that should be taken before next winter's snowfalls. Read "A Perfect (Snow) Storm: What can be done against avalanche damage in Afghanistan", Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN), March 10, 2015.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Landslides in Afghanistan

Many parts of northern Afghanistan are prone to landslides. These events often cause many injuries and deaths among the population who typically live in small villages at the base of mountains or in the valleys of canyons where landslides occur. In the spring of 2014 a humanitarian disaster occurred in Argo district of Badakhshan province when a landslide swallowed the village of Abi Barak. Hundreds of lives were lost and thousands lost their homes. The Afghan government was slow to respond and when it did the response was less than effective. In addition, corrupt police and local government officials stole or diverted aid meant for the landslide victims. A recent paper explores the disaster of Abi Barak and how these man-made natural disasters occur. Read more in "Unnatural disasters", Philanthropy Age, September 24, 2014.