Russian Emergencies Ministry on flood preparation: Measures and international cooperation

Preparations for the spring flood began in the fall, with specialists from border regions assessing hydrological conditions and coordinating forecasts with neighboring Kazakhstan. As reported by the Russian Emergencies Ministry in response to a request from the Kazinform News Agency, the department already assesses water levels and ice thickness on rivers at the stage of ice cover formation.

“During the winter period, water reserves in the snow in the main river basins are analyzed, including the Ishim, Irtysh and Ural rivers. In order to form forecasts of water inflow into the rivers during the spring flood, Roshydromet and Kazhydromet exchange hydrometeorological information,” the department specified.

According to preliminary forecasts, in the spring of 2025, inflows into reservoirs will be higher than the long-term average. This requires the preparation of free capacities for receiving melt water, which is important for both Russia and Kazakhstan. In preparation for the safe passage of the flood, measures are being taken to weaken the ice, and emergency services of the border regions of the two countries are conducting joint exercises.

“On the rivers, in order to safely pass the flood, measures are being taken to weaken the ice, including blasting, sawing and blackening the ice, in order to prevent the formation of jams and flooding of the territory. All emergency services of the border regions of Russia and Kazakhstan conduct joint exercises every spring, before the spring snowmelt, to respond to emergency situations that arise during the passage of the spring flood. During these exercises, joint actions are practiced in the event of an emergency in the border regions and districts,” the Ministry of Emergency Situations said.

“The operational duty shifts of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia and Kazakhstan in the border regions exchange operational information daily, including on the flood situation. A similar exchange is carried out at the federal level between the National Crisis Management Center of the Russian Emergencies Ministry and the Republican Crisis Center of the Kazakhstan Emergencies Ministry. Every year, colleagues exchange experiences and participate in joint scientific and practical conferences,” the Russian Emergencies Ministry noted.

In addition, regular scientific and practical conferences facilitate the exchange of experience between specialists from the two countries. At meetings of the joint commission on transboundary water bodies, work plans are approved, as happened in November 2024 in Volgograd, where measures to pass the flood on the Ural River were discussed.

To monitor and respond, the Russian Emergencies Ministry uses automated systems, remote sensing data and even space images, which helps to predict the development of the situation and minimize risks.

“In the event of a deterioration in the operational situation, a domestic group of spacecraft is deployed, and the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters is activated, which provides access to space images from 17 space agencies of foreign countries. In the event of a threat of a trans-border emergency, space monitoring is carried out in advance, taking into account the forecast and possible deterioration of the operational situation,” the department said.

Earlier, it was reported that Kazakhstan is enhancing international cooperation on flood prevention, with plans to sign a memorandum with China and establish a joint working group with Russia to coordinate efforts on transboundary watercourses.