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PRT Zabul partners with Afghan government to assist flood victims

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Georganne Hassell
  • PRT Zabul PA
QALAT CITY, Afghanistan --  Members of Provincial Reconstruction Team Zabul partnered with the Afghan government to provide critical humanitarian assistance when flash floods damaged the Shinkai District.

Zabul Provinicial Governor Asraf Naseri worked with the PRT to provide food and water for the affected villages. PRT Zabul also assisted in arranging emergency air transport for the governor to see the damage first-hand in Shinkai. Coalition forces, along with Naseri, surveyed the damage in order to provide effective assistance.

"This is the first emergency that we've really dealt with here in Zabul," said Capt. Matthew Joseph, PRT Zabul engineer and White Bear Lake, Minn., native. "But we're really impressed with the leadership abilities in the governor and his ability to spin everybody up and bring them all together to move this quickly."

The flooding caused sections of walls in the Shinkai bazaar to collapse, and several shop owners lost their entire stock of goods. The on-site assessment determined the immediate need was to resupply food for the villagers.

Working alongside government officials and the Afghan National Army, members of PRT Zabul coordinated with the United Nations' World Food Program to procure flour, rice, beans, charcoal, water and cooking oil to be sent to the district. These supplies provided emergency assistance to six villages affected by the floods.

"They got to see firsthand immediate response from their government," said Joseph.

Coordination continues to deliver the remainder of the supplies.