ASTANA, Kazakhstan: Officials in Kazakhstan and Russia reported massive evacuations as tens of thousands of people were moved from areas threatened by extensive flooding, attributed to rapid snow and ice melt across the border regions, in what is described as the worst flooding in decades.
Kazakhstan’s Emergency Situations Ministry disclosed that since the onset of flooding last month, over 96,000 individuals, including more than 31,000 children, have been rescued and evacuated. Rescue operations involving 24,000 personnel are ongoing around the clock, with efforts focused on water pumping, erecting barriers, and employing “blast work” to mitigate ice jams.
Concerns are particularly acute in Petropavlovsk, northern Kazakhstan, where authorities anticipate a significant surge of water within the next 48 hours. Regional head Gauez Nurmukhambetov emphasized the imminent threat, stating that a “huge flow of water” is imminent.
In Russia’s Orenburg region, home to over half a million people, water levels in the Ural river have risen dramatically, surpassing the critical mark by 81 centimeters within 24 hours. The city administration warned of further rises, projecting an increase of 30-70 centimeters by day’s end.
With more than 12,000 residential structures flooded in the Orenburg region, including nearly 2,000 in the city itself, over 7,700 individuals have been evacuated. The situation has triggered rare protests, with residents in Orsk expressing frustration over the authorities’ response.
Despite the severity of the situation, Kremlin officials clarified that President Vladimir Putin does not plan to visit the affected areas but remains closely briefed on developments. The flooding crisis underscores the challenges posed by climate-related disasters in the region.
