Correspondents of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan” continue to report on the aftermath of flooding and mudslides in the south of Turkmenistan.
Following torrential rains in early March, the dam failure on the Etrek river caused flooding in some rural areas of Esenguly etrap in Balkan velayat of Turkmenistan.
Owing to the limited means of access to the rural areas and a lack of communication with the residents of the affected areas it was not until recently that we managed to find out the details.
Two young brothers died in the village of Adzhy-yab. Their bodies were discovered only three days later. Additionally, a lot of cattle died. According to locals, entire flocks of sheep and goats were washed away.
All residential buildings and household facilities located along the flooded Etrek river were affected in one way or another. Electric power to those stranded villages was restored only three weeks later. Gas supply, however, is still not available and residents get gas delivered in cylinders.
In the first days after the disaster bread was dropped to the inhabitants of the affected rural areas from helicopters.
As the dams were washed away, some sections of the railroad connecting Kazakhstan to Iran were acknowledged to be in a critical condition. Recovery efforts are now underway there.
From the first days of flooding the local Emergency departments have been carrying out works to minimize the damage. Using pumps and hastily dug canals, the water was bypassed towards the Caspian Sea.
Serious damage has been inflicted on the villages located in Magtymguly etrap, including Fary nokhur, Aidere, Kruzhdei, Daina, Kone-kesir and Garaful.
Rescue teams are alleviating the consequences of the natural disaster by removing the mud, restoring the river’s bank and disposing of numerous animal carcasses.