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Afghanistan
is a disaster-prone country and is suffering from the effects
of more than two decades of civil war. The need for emergency
and disaster preparedness in Afghanistan is critical. In the past
four years alone, four major earthquakes have devastated the lives
of over 150,000 Afghans. In addition, the country is prone to
flooding and landslides. During 2000-2001, both drought and conflict
increased the population’s misery. Afghanistan is still
one of the most heavily mined and unexploded ordnance-filled countries
in the world. Very few people have access to clean drinking water,
basic health care, and other social services. Other hazards in
Afghanistan include epidemics, locust swarms, and forest fires.
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