DUSHANBE, October 19, Asia-Plus - Natural disasters that hit Tajikistan this year has caused a serious damage to the country’s economy.

Emergencies Minister Mirzo Ziyoyev yesterday told journalists that the damage caused by those disasters has amounted to totaling 103,110,300 somonis, which is 165,700 somonis more than last year.   

“This year’s disasters have affected 6,377 residential buildings in the country; of them, 1,553 houses have been destroyed completely,” the minister said.  

According to him, 30 people were killed by the natural disasters this year (last year, 47 people were killed in disasters).   

Ziyoyev noted that they had done a big job on reinforcing the riverbank protection works on the most dangerous section of the Panj River and population now is protected against new emergencies on this section.  

He also noted that a water level in the Lake Sarez in Gorno Badakhshan had come down nearly by a meter compared to last year.  

On the humanitarian aid provided to the tremor-hit areas in the Qumsangir district, the minister said that 279 tons of wheat flour, more than 17 tons of wheat, 41 tons of sugar, 35 tons of vegetable oil, 27 tons of rice, 43,000 cans of tinned meat, as well as building materials, tents and other relief supplies have been delivered to the district to this day.