Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Uzbekcosmos agency stated that the information that the bank of the Koshtepa canal was washed away by the flow of water from the Amudarya is not true.

On 12-13 December 2023, information spread on the Internet about the first serious “accident” at the Koshtepa irrigation canal under construction in Afghanistan, with reference to experts from the international environmental coalition “Rivers Without Borders.”

As a result of regular monitoring of the dynamics of construction of the Koshtepa canal through space monitoring, the Agency determined the rise of underground filtration water in areas where excavation work is being carried out.

As a result of space monitoring, on 4 November 2023, a water leak was detected from a 30-meter part of the right bank at the 75.6th kilometer of the Koshtepa canal.

On 5 November, the area of the flooded area was 19.5 square kilometers, on 25 November - 23.8 square kilometers, and as of 13 December - 30.3 square kilometers.

On the other hand, Afghan engineers responsible for the construction of the canal emphasize that to control the level of underground seepage water, water is directed to an open area at the 75.6th kilometer of the canal.

Space monitoring of the dynamics of the construction of the Koshtepa canal shows that excavation work has not been completed in the part of the structure receiving water from the Amudarya, and currently there is an unexcavated area of about 20 meters adjacent to the river.

At the same time, as a result of the analysis of high-resolution satellite images on the bank of the canal, no visual signs of targeted excavations were found (the use of special equipment, the appearance of an excavated volume of soil, etc.) to direct the seeping water.

In addition, available materials show that the seepage is currently receding and the riverbed is gradually drying up.

“Thus, the analyzes carried out confirm that the information disseminated on the Internet by experts from the international environmental coalition “Rivers Without Borders” that the bank of the Koshtepa canal was washed away by the flow of water from the Amudarya does not correspond to reality,” the department concluded.