President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov chaired a special field meeting of the State Emergency Management Commission in the administrative centre of the Lebap Velayat, Turkmenabat. The Turkmen leader arrived in the early morning to learn about the situation in the region, in particular in the some districts of the Amu Darya River basin formed due to the abnormal frosts.

During the meeting held at the Turkmenabat airport the participants reported to the Turkmen leader on the emergency situation and the measures taken in accordance with the President’s instructions to handle possible consequences.

Vice Premier, Deputy Chairman of the State Emergency Management Commission G. Ashirov reported that the severe frosts had frozen the Amu Darya River and caused raising of water level. On the President’s instructions, the special commission had been established to handle emergencies and to prevent the consequences caused by natural disasters. G. Ashirov reported on the measures to evaluate the level of risk of flooding the settlements dispersed on the banks of the Amu Darya River and freeze-up for transport and communication and hydroengineering facilities, to consolidate the river banks, to ensure transport services between the river banks. The special equipment and machines were engaged in the works, the earth works had been carried out to lower the water level though the flood risk existed.

Minister of Defence A. Mammetgeldiev reported on the preparedness of the specialized military units to blast the ice jams in the Amu Darya River and asked the permission to start the operations.

The khyakims of the Lebap velayats and etraps, the high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Water Industry, the Ministry of Railway Transport, the Ministry Energy and Transport, the National Hydrometeorology Committee under the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan reported on the situation in the region and the measures taken to reduce the flood risk and to prevent the Amu Darya from overflowing its banks.

The participants of the meeting considered a broad range of the issues including the measures to ensure prompt emergencies response and adopted the relevant decisions. The President of Turkmenistan ordered to establish the agency responsible for coordinating and monitoring the emergency response activity, ensuring the twenty-four hour service in the regions involving the high-ranking officials of the relevant ministries and departments.

The Turkmen leader set the key tasks including uninterrupted electrical power, gas and water supply emphasizing that the concern for the people on these days especially was a criterion of the high-ranking officials’ responsibility and competence. Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov instructed the Ministry of Railway Transport to provide the additional passenger and freight cars to cope with the increase in railway traffic due to the damage to the floating bridge across the Amu Darya River

The Turkmen leader demanded that the necessary measures to prevent possible flooding of the coastal settlements and towns last observed in 1969 and to respond to possible emergencies would be taken.

Upon concluding the meeting President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov flied to the regions in the lower reach of the Amu Darya River on board a helicopter to view the region and inspect the works on the dam.

The helicopter landed on the right bank of the Amu Darya River, nearby the Azatlyk farmers association in Farab Etrap. In the presence of the President and commission members the specialists blasted the ice jams to remove the threat of flooding.

Thanking for the prompt measures the Turkmen leader put emphasis on the importance of the well co-ordinated activity to ensure high-quality communication services, uninterrupted electric power, water and gas supply, qualified medical aid and any assistance required. Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov demanded that the high-ranking officials should promptly report on the situation in the region and the works carried on.

Then the Turkmen leader flied to Turkmenabat. The Turkmen leader inspects River on board a helicopter the upstream reach of the Amu Darya River and the agricultural plantations on both banks of the Amu Darya.

Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov held a brief meeting with the local officials at the airport of the administrative centre of the Lebap Velayat.

In the afternoon Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov returned to Ashgabat. On the way from the Ashgabat International Airport the President visited the vacant lot on Magtymguly Avenue, where the ramshackle building of the Ashgabat cinema had been recently demolished. The Turkmen leader instructed to build a new cinema there.

The President authorized the Central Bank to announce the tender for construction of the cinema and to act as the building owner.