Thursday, March 20, 2008 at 1:01am
Central Asia suffering killer winter
Central Asia is suffering through its worst winter in at least 30 years, and Southern Baptists moved to help isolated villages in danger of starvation. In Afghanistan's Sheberghan district, heavy snows fell for more than a week and temperatures dropped to -11 degrees F., leaving communities snowbound.
The death toll has risen to 483, and at least 147,000 head of livestock have died, Baptist Press reported Thursday.
"Travel between cities halted, preventing arrival of regular food supplies," said Francis Horton, Central and South Asia area director for Baptist Global Response. "People were terribly unprepared. Many of them did not have warm enough clothing or blankets for these temperatures, and most of them did not have enough food supplies to last through it. Widows, returning refugees, and disabled individuals are particularly vulnerable."
In nearby Tajikistan, winter crops like wheat froze and yielded no produce at all. "Many villages have no resources to deal with this crisis," Horton said. "In many places people are starving."
The Southern Baptist World Hunger Fund raised $117,636 to clear roads and purchase food, blankets and winter clothing for more than 10,500 families in both countries. "The World Food Program and other organizations had tons of food ready to truck into the worst areas, but no way to get there," Horton said. "Roads had to be cleared so food supplies could get there."
The death toll has risen to 483, and at least 147,000 head of livestock have died, Baptist Press reported Thursday.
"Travel between cities halted, preventing arrival of regular food supplies," said Francis Horton, Central and South Asia area director for Baptist Global Response. "People were terribly unprepared. Many of them did not have warm enough clothing or blankets for these temperatures, and most of them did not have enough food supplies to last through it. Widows, returning refugees, and disabled individuals are particularly vulnerable."
In nearby Tajikistan, winter crops like wheat froze and yielded no produce at all. "Many villages have no resources to deal with this crisis," Horton said. "In many places people are starving."
The Southern Baptist World Hunger Fund raised $117,636 to clear roads and purchase food, blankets and winter clothing for more than 10,500 families in both countries. "The World Food Program and other organizations had tons of food ready to truck into the worst areas, but no way to get there," Horton said. "Roads had to be cleared so food supplies could get there."