Flooding of Maktaaral district: 31,606 residents evacuated

At the government session chaired by Prime Minister Askar Mamin, Akim of Turkistan Region Umirzak Shukeyev reported on the dam failure in neighboring Uzbekistan, which led to flooding of settlements in the Maktaaral district of Turkistan region.

May 1, 2020, due to the flushing of a part of the dam at the Sardoba reservoir in the Syrdarya region of Uzbekistan and the discharge of water to reduce the level in the reservoir, the frontier collectors of the Maktaaral district of the Turkistan region of Kazakhstan were filled with water. The volume of water entering the collector was 180 cubic meters per second, while the throughput of the collector was 120 cubic meters per second. As a result, several villages of the Maktaaral district were flooded. A state of emergency was declared in the region.

To date, 31,606 residents from 14 settlements have been evacuated. Five settlements with a population of 6,127 people were completely flooded — Zhana Turmys, Zhenis, Firdausi, Orgebas, Dostyk. In 7 settlements, there is still a threat of flooding, and in two settlements — Myrzakent and Akzhol — there is no longer any danger of flooding, so the residents returned to their homes. A lot of work to prevent flooding was carried out in the village of Myrzakent with a population of 15 thousand people.

As a matter of urgency, on May 2, a local man-made emergency was declared in Maktaaral district and an operational headquarters was created. According to Shukeyev, 986 people and 190 pieces of equipment were involved in emergency rescue operations. At the same time, 30 motor pumps, catchment pumps were received from Shymkent, Kyzylorda and Zhambyl regions. In addition, the military unit of the National Guard deployed 413 troops and 37 pieces of equipment. In addition, 320 military personnel and 26 pieces of equipment arrived from the rescue battalion of the National Guard of Almaty.

“At the bases of schools in the villages of Atakent and Maktaaral of the Zhambyl Rural District, 14 emergency evacuation centers have been organized, which currently accommodate 3,200 people. The rest are with relatives. Reception evacuation points have all necessary equipment. Considering the quarantine, 120 medical workers are providing assistance,” Shukeyev informed.

As a result of the emergency, according to preliminary estimates, 845 residential buildings, 3 schools, 5 kindergartens, 4 medical organizations, a culture house and 10 shops were flooded. Also a bridge was flooded in the village of Zhenis and 54.7 km of roads of republican and regional significance. In addition, 7,639 hectares of cultivated land were affected. Also, the number of dead cattle in the flooded area was specified. To date, the calculation of the loss is continuing.

To maintain public order and protect the property of the victims in the flooded settlements, 8 roadblocks were established, 300 employees of the police department and 53 special equipment were involved.

In order to prevent flooding in the settlements of Nurly Zhol, Orgebas, Yrysty, Zhantaksay, dams were built, in the direction of Myrzakent, a collector was placed in the area of ​​the Firdausi village. In addition, in the Maktaaral district, a canal was excavated by the Uzbek side to quickly remove water.

“In general, we are working closely with Uzbek specialists. In Uzbekistan, the situation returned to normal. Therefore, they are ready to come with their equipment and clean our collectors,” said Shukeyev.

According to him, it is necessary to mobilize all the equipment available in the republic.

“Now because of the terrain, we know that groundwater is close and therefore this water can remain for a long time, so we will break through various ditches and dump water there. From the Ministry of Ecology, I think, where is there any opportunity, pumps, everything needs to be mobilized, together we must solve this problem,” he said.

Also, the region’s akim emphasized that when the water leaves the flooded settlements, a courtyard bypass will be made according to the experience of the emergency in Arys and the damage to each family will be assessed. Then the commission will decide how it will be restored. In addition, consideration is being given to the payment of compensation to each affected family. Shukeyev pointed out the need compensate the losses for the peasants whose crops were flooded.

“We are conducting an outreach with the evacuated population. People are experiencing this with understanding, steadfastly and patiently. Uzbekistan is also facing a difficult situation. There were 10 settlements under water, 70 thousand people were evacuated. We agreed to combine our efforts to overcome this difficult situation,” summed up the akim of Turkistan region. 

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