Contact: Marjorie Robertson (202) 458-8408
Fax: (202) 522-3362
To obtain project documents please contact the World Bank's Infoshop
at tel: 202-458-5454, fax: 202-522-1500, email: pic@worldbank.org
WASHINGTON, August 27, 1998 —The World Bank today approved a US$5 million equivalent (SDR 3.8 million) credit for an Emergency Flood Assistance Project credit to assist Tajikistan in its post-flood reconstruction efforts.
The project will: (a) support the Tajikistan Government in the repair or reconstruction of essential infrastructure; (b) establish the conditions for economic growth in the rural areas affected by the floods; and (c) help reduce the risk of future damage.
The project consists of the following components:
The Transport Infrastructure component will provide for the repair or reconstruction of nine bridges and 270 kilometers of damaged roads in various regions, including the reconstruction of embankment protections to prevent future damage from floods or erosion.
The Other Infrastructure component will provide for the repair or reconstruction of infrastructure in the agriculture sector (flood protection dikes and irrigation systems); power sector (small rural hydropower plants and transmission lines); and municipal services (water supply systems.)
The credit will be disbursed on standard IDA terms with a maturity of 40 years, including a 10-year grace period. Since Tajikistan joined the World Bank and IDA in 1993, commitments to that country total approximately US$142 million for 7 projects.
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Background
Seasonal floods are a common occurrence along the mountain rivers that irrigate Tajikistan's lowlands. The floods that took place in April and May 1998, however, were exceptional and were the result of heavier than usual snowfalls during the 1997/98 winter, and successive torrential rains that fell during the 1998 spring. These two coinciding natural phenomena caused many rivers to swell to levels higher than any recorded in the past 75 years. They also resulted in severe and extensive floods, landslides, and mudflows in many parts of the country. Over 100 hundred people died, and numerous homes were destroyed or damaged. Dozens of bridges and miles of roads were washed away or damaged causing access to entire areas to be cut off or made extremely difficult. Agricultural losses were high, and future production was compromised due to damages to or destruction of irrigation systems. The project will complement, and build on experience gained, with the reconstruction activities which are ongoing in Tajikistan with the support of the Post-Conflict Emergency Reconstruction Project, approved in January 1998. | |
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