The state minister for Natural Disasters Management, Wais Ahmad Barmak, said in parliament on Saturday they are ready to provide emergency assistance to the country’s 34 provinces if the need arises.

Afghanistan Natural Disasters Management Authority (ANDMA) has 1.05 billion Afs to assist those affected by natural disasters in the coming year, Barmak told MPs at the Wolesi Jirga, (Lower House of Parliament), where they discussed the transfer of emergency aid to areas which are prone to natural disasters. 

“We have established a system which connects Kabul with other provinces. We will build an information center which will provide information before a natural disaster happens,” he said.

Meanwhile, a number of MPs said the authority expected many floods this spring across the country and as such, government should be prepared to deal with impending disasters.

“The wheat allocated for those affected by natural disasters in Khost was spoiled due to improper management by the ANDMA local office. The wheat was not distributed to anyone,” said Mir Bat Khan Mangal, an MP.

“You are the head of this authority; the local offices which conduct projects below standard must be held responsible. One of them (projects) is a protection wall in Herat which was built with low quality materials and now floods threaten Herat city,” said Nahid Farid, an MP from Herat.

The legislators also asked government to avoid being negligent about affected areas as in previous years.

“Heavy storms are ongoing in Nimroz province which has affected many people. The affected residents must be helped as soon as possible,” said Farida Hamidi, another MP.