Наводнения и Паводки в Казахстане. Floods and Flooding in Kazakhstan

In Kazakhstan, intensified efforts are underway to combat floods. Rescuers are evacuating the local population from flooded areas. The extensive flooding affects not only villages and towns but also highways. The list of roads closed due to flooding is updated daily. Not only the country’s emergency services, but also urban and rural utilities have joined the battle against the disaster. Police and military forces have been additionally deployed. The major flooding has also affected the national highways. Many of them are currently impassable due to high water levels. Significant overflows have been recorded on 12 highways in 7 regions. As a result, traffic is restricted along more than 2000 kilometers in total. Many experts note that the 2024 flooding is much more extensive than the previous year. Specialists attribute the main cause to the excessively frozen soil, which prevents the melted water from being absorbed quickly enough. According to authorities, as of April 5, a complex flooding situation persists in Kazakhstan’s regions. A state of emergency of local significance has been declared in nine regions: Abay, Akmola, Aktobe, Atyrau, West Kazakhstan, Karaganda, Kostanay, Pavlodar, and Ulytau. Some Kazakhs on social media point out that the current situation resulted from the unpreparedness of hydraulic structures.