DUSHANBE, July 19, 2013, Asia-Plus -- 52 natural disasters that have been reported in Tajikistan over the first six months of this year have left nine dead.

Senior representatives from the Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense (CES) stated this at a news conference in Dushanbe on July 19.

According to them, four persons have been killed by natural disasters in the northern province of Sughd, four others have been killed by avalanches in the Rasht Valley (eastern Tajikistan), and one person has been killed by the natural disaster in the Hisor district.

Over the report period, CES specialists have reportedly carried out 116 search and rescue operations: 17 people have been rescued and 480 people have been evacuated from the natural disaster (avalanches and so forth) to safe areas.

Damage caused by the natural disasters over the report period has been estimated at more than 60.3 million somoni.