Kazakh government takes urgent measures as floods affect 7 regions
Kazakhstan is facing a series of floods caused by heavy rains and melting snow. These natural disasters have led to serious consequences for the country and also required urgent measures to prevent damage and provide assistance to those affected, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan, as of 4 p.m. March 29, more than 400 private residential buildings, courtyards and country houses were flooded in seven regions of the country - Aktobe, Akmola, Kostanay, West Kazakhstan, North Kazakhstan and Pavlodar regions.
The situation is complicated by the erosion of roads and overflows across them. This has led to 26 settlements becoming isolated.
However, with the prompt actions of civil protection services and emergency rescue operations, many residents have already been rescued and evacuated. At the moment, about 3,000 people are in temporary accommodation centers, where they have received the necessary assistance.
On March 29, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov chaired a meeting, where Minister of Emergency Situations Chingiz Arinov delivered a report on how the ministry is handling the aftermath of floods.
Bektenov said these are the largest floods in recent years.
“The main task now is to save people's lives and minimize the consequences of the disaster. Afterwards, a substantive inspection will be conducted to identify possible facts of negligence on the part of certain officials in the performance of their duties. (…) A state of emergency has been declared in a number of regions,” said Bektenov.
With the efforts of the ministry and local executive bodies, more than 2.5 million cubic meters of water were pumped out. At the moment, more than 6,000 people and three 3,000 equipment are involved, including 12 aircraft.
The Kazinform News Agency reported about the participation of volunteers and volunteer organizations in helping residents affected by floods in the Kostanay region.
As a result of the joint efforts of volunteers, it was possible to lend a helping hand to the affected families, providing them with food packages, clothing, as well as assistance in organizing temporary housing and repairing damaged houses.
Ethnocultural associations of the People’s Assembly of Kazakhstan in the Kostanay region organized a fundraiser and purchased 1,000 bags, 500 pairs of gloves, shovels and cuttings for volunteers, which is now necessary to combat the disaster.
Volunteers and community organizations continue to be actively involved in helping affected areas, supporting them in recovering from the disaster.
Floods are happening in Kazakhstan every year. After harsh winters with substantial snow accumulation, rapid snowmelt during the spring, often exacerbated by sudden temperature increases, leads to overflow in rivers and lakes, causing floods in adjacent areas.
According to the EOS Data Analytics team, which utilizes advanced satellite data, early spring in Kazakhstan is accompanied by intense snow melting every year.
“Due to the sharp increase in temperature, flowing water rushes down from the mountains, flooding the streets of local settlements and agricultural land. For example, on March 13, 2023, spring floods in Kazakhstan reached such extreme levels that local authorities declared a natural emergency,” reads their report.
The company also analyzed flood statistics over the past 10 years in the northern Kazakhstan regions. Large floods were observed in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, which confirms the fact that Kazakhstan is constantly vulnerable to floods at the beginning of the spring period.
