Via ReliefWeb, a report from IFRC: Tajikistan: Extreme winter conditions. The Red Crescent is shipping in coal, candles, and children's clothing and blankets. The low temperatures are astounding. Excerpt:
Due to extremely low temperatures followed by a heavy snowfall, eleven villages (Kuhnakurgan, Modiyon, Chechtube,Rangkul,Chichekdeh, Karakul, Tokhtamish, Shaimok, Alichur, Bashgunbez, Bulunkul) and Murgab, the district administrative centre, have been cut off from the rest of the country in the remotest area of Tajikistan – Murgab District in the mountainous area of Tajikistan.
The temperatures reaching minus 35 to 55 degrees Celsius [-31º/-67ºF] are life threatening to the most vulnerable people. The snow blast started on 20 January 2013, and since then it has continued snowing.
The most affected places are Murgab District Administrative Centre and the villages in Alichur Jamoat, the remotest place in the district. Blocked roads, power shortages and broken communication lines made it almost impossible to reach the affected areas.
The Provincial Government and the local department of the Committee of Emergency Situation have officially requested the Red Crescent Society of Tajikistan to support the affected population. Based on the official request from the local authorities, the Red Crescent Society's branch in the district conducted a rapid assessment involving local Disaster Committee members and RC staff.
The preliminary results of the assessment confirm the deterioration of the situation with the population`s difficult access to heating sources, warm clothes and food.
