At the meeting of the Government chaired by the Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev, the Ministers of Internal Affairs, K. Kassymov, Energy, K. Bozumbayev, for Investments and Development, Zh. Kassymbek, Vice Minister of Agriculture, Y. Nyssanbayev, and akims of the regions reported on readiness for the 2018 flood season.

According to the Minister of Internal Affairs, Kalmukhanbet Kassymov, the main forecast for the stream flow rate of rivers in the flood will be prepared by Kazhydromet, on a weekly basis starting from 1 March, with updates every three days. Engineering protection of settlements is carried out in accordance with the road map "A set of measures to prevent and eliminate flood hazards for 2017-2020."

Before the beginning of the year, 204 measures have already been implemented.

"108 defensive dams have been built and reinforced, 71 hydraulic structures, 8 bridges, 12 highways were repaired. In total, 12.56 billion tenge has been spent on the creation of engineering protection, including 6.16 billion tenge from the republican budget," Kalmukhanbet Kassymov reported.

For the 2018 flood season, reserves in the amount of 8.4 thousand tons of fuels, 123 thousand tons of inert materials, 759 thousand bags and 6.5 tons of explosives have been prepared. Snow removal is carried out from settlements, local executive bodies have already exported 3.8 million m3.

In extraordinary reserves and reserves for urgent expenses, the akimats have put 24.7 billion tenge.

In total, there are 1665 hydraulic structures on the territory of Kazakhstan. Of the total number of hydraulic structures, only 72 are equipped with local warning systems.

In order to promptly respond to possible complications of the flood situation in the spring of 2018, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has formed a grouping of forces and assets totaling more than 14 thousand people and more than 2 thousand units of equipment. The National Guard is preparing to deploy three camps for the affected population per 1000 people each. In constant readiness are Kazaviaspas helicopters.

The readiness of the public alert system have been ensured, including the use of electric winches, interception of television and radio broadcasting, mass text messaging, attraction of operational vehicles of the MIA RK equipped with loud-speaking devices.

In case of evacuation of the population from areas of possible flooding in the regions, points of reception of the evacuated population have been choosen, routes for evacuation have been updated, and the necessary transport have been set aside.

To test the readiness of the State Civil Protection System, in the first ten days of March, the republican command and staff exercise "Kuktem-2018" with the headquarters of the administration in Ust-Kamenogorsk will be held.

The Vice Minister of Agriculture, Yerlan Nyssanbayev, reported on the work on the conservation, accumulation and distribution of flood waters.

For each reservoir developed and agreed with the akimats of the regime's graphic areas, depending on the filling of the reservoirs and the expected arrival. The Committee on Water Resources has set up a flood control commission for the 2018 flood season. Also, similar commissions have been established in the Kazvodkhoz RSE and its branches.

The daily monitoring of the operation mode of reservoirs have been established, 24-hour watchdogs are organized at all the republican facilities. In hazardous areas, necessary stocks of construction and other inert materials have been prepared to prevent a flush, and appropriate machinery and mechanisms have been prepared.

As for the "Flood Waters Accumulation Plan, as a matter of priority," 109 projects are planned, including the volume of accumulation over 10 million m3 at the expense of the republican budget — 30 projects and in terms of accumulation of less than 10 million m3 from the local budget — 79 projects.

"In accordance with the instructions of the Head of State for the construction of the Buzuluk and Kenbidaik reservoirs in the Akmola region, the Ministry of Agriculture had developed investment proposals, on which positive opinions were received from the MNE RK on 2 October 2017. The estimated cost of the construction of reservoirs is 13.6 billion tenge. The Ministry of Agriculture is conducting procedures to allocate financial resources for the development of a feasibility study for the two above-mentioned projects for 2018," the Deputy Minister of the MA RK summarized.