Kazakhstan’s Deputy Emergency Minister Bauyrzhan Syzdyqov said on April 2 that more than 15,700 people, including almost 6,200 children, have been evacuated across the nation amid unprecedented floods caused by abrupt warm weather that led to a mass snowmelt, RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service reported.
Syzdyqov said the situation remains “complicated” in several regions, where flood waters continue to rise.
On April 1, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev officially reprimanded regional governors and the cabinet for “poorly dealing” with the situation and called on the country’s businessmen to contribute to the rescue efforts.
At the Government meeting on April 2, chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, officials reported that the flood situation is difficult: in the western regions there is a slight drop in water, but in the central, northern and eastern parts of the country there is an intensive rise in river levels. Five regions remain in the flood zone. The situation remains difficult in Aktobe, West Kazakhstan and Kostanay regions.
