USAID provided immediate humanitarian assistance to people affected by the May 2020 partial collapse of the Sardoba Reservoir Dam in Uzbekistan.

Photo credit: Uzbekistan National News Agency (UzA)

Key Developments

On May 1, 2020, the Sardoba Reservoir dam in eastern Uzbekistan’s Sirdaryo Region burst, resulting in widespread flooding that killed at least four people, injured more than 50 people, and prompted the evacuation of approximately 70,000 people from the region’s Akaltyn, Mirzaabad, and Sardoba districts, according to the Government of Uzbekistan (GoU).  The floods also severely damaged the houses of at least 11,500 people and destroyed agricultural land and businesses in affected areas, the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent reports. Relief actors identified food, health assistance, safe drinking water, and shelter as priority needs.

On May 7, 2020 U.S. Ambassador Daniel N. Rosenblum declared a disaster due to the effects of the floods in Uzbekistan.  In response, USAID provided $100,000 to local NGO Sog’lom Avlod Uchun to provide food and other essential relief items to flood-affected populations.  

 Background

Uzbekistan is central Asia’s most populous country, with approximately 30 million people.  It is prone to a number of natural hazards, including drought, earthquake, floods, and landslides.