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Vulnerability to prolonged cold: a case study of the Zeravshan Valley of Tajikistan

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  • R. Bryson Touchstone

    (Department of Parks and Wildlife, Western Australia)

  • Kathleen Sherman-Morris

    (Mississippi State University)

Abstract

Tajikistan like other mountainous nations in Central Asia faces the dual problem of poverty and exposure to multiple natural hazards such as mass wasting, flooding, and prolonged cold. In this case study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 31 rural Tajik households in order to characterize their vulnerability and adaptation to prolonged winter cold. The household interviews were supplemented with interviews with village leaders, doctors, and school staff. Key interview themes regarding the road network were then compared with GIS road network analysis of the region. Results suggested that the area is highly vulnerable to the impacts of prolonged cold, which could ultimately be made worse through the unsustainable land-use practices, especially for agricultural and biofuel resources. The combination of unreliable sources of income and lower accessibility to markets in winter results in less ability of the residents of these rural villages to mitigate the impacts of prolonged cold. Analysis of the road network using GIS provided additional evidence for the influence of accessibility on vulnerability to prolonged cold.

Suggested Citation

  • R. Bryson Touchstone & Kathleen Sherman-Morris, 2016. "Vulnerability to prolonged cold: a case study of the Zeravshan Valley of Tajikistan," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 83(2), pages 1279-1300, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:nathaz:v:83:y:2016:i:2:d:10.1007_s11069-016-2394-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s11069-016-2394-x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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