Frozen Tajikistan appeals for aid in winter crisis

DUSHANBE (Reuters) – Tajikistan, paralyzed by the coldest winter in decades, asked for emergency international aid on Wednesday to help it survive an energy crisis which has left millions of people without power and heating.

The bitter cold — with temperatures plunging to -20 degrees Celsius (-4 Fahrenheit) across the impoverished nation — caught the authorities off guard this year, forcing the government to ration electricity, water and gas.


“Over the next few days the government will submit a list of basic emergency items to international organizations and donor countries as well as a plan for their use and allocation,” the central bank said in a statement.

“The crisis has had a negative impact on the food supply situation and has put industrial sites in a very difficult situation, which can hamper economic reforms,” it said.

Reuters