ASTANA – The next 10 days will be critical for Kazakhstan, which has been grappling with floods since the end of March, said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during his meeting with the evacuated people of flood-hit North Kazakhstan Region on April 16, reported the Akorda press service. He assured the public the state would take care of everyone affected by the floods.
Today, more than 2,000 residential buildings have been flooded, and 10,345 people have been evacuated in the North Kazakhstan Region. Photo credit: Akorda. Click to see the map in full size. The map is designed by The Astana Times
“We are now experiencing a difficult time. This is a national emergency. Positive signs, however, are already apparent. The water gradually drains away. I think that the next 10 days will be the most critical, but we are already taking measures to rebuild the entire country and eliminate the effects of this disaster. The government will not leave any of its citizens without appropriate care. We will pay back all expenses you incurred during this flood,” the President said.
President Tokayev met with evacuated residents of the North Kazakhstan region. Photo credit: Akorda
A special commission was set up to assess the damage incurred by the floods and calculate compensation.
New housing will be built for people who lost their homes because of the natural disaster. Those affected by the floods will be provided with deferments on loans and borrowings.
Tokayev underlined his decision to cancel the Astana International Forum to save financial resources amid massive floods. He also noted the budget spent on other large-scale international events, including the World Nomad Games, will be cut.
“It is no longer possible to cancel such an event, but the budget will be significantly reduced. The funding for Kazakhstan’s participation in the World Expo in Tokyo will also be cut,” Tokayev said.
The President underlined that the government should “learn lessons” from the devastating floods.
“We lack an early warning system for this kind of disaster and the appropriate specialists. A decision has been made on the fly to train hydraulic engineers,” Tokayev said.
Before meeting with the public, the President flew over the Kyzylzhar district, the outskirts of Petropavlovsk, as well as the Sergeevsky reservoir.
According to the North Kazakhstan Region Governor Gauez Nurmukhambetov, the flood is impacting the districts of Kyzylzhar, Yessil, Shal akyn and the city of Petropavlovsk.
North Kazakhstan. Photo credit: Akorda
A state of emergency has been declared in six districts. To date, more than 2,000 residential buildings have been flooded, and 10,345 people have been evacuated.
At least 5,270 people and 906 pieces of equipment are involved in flood control measures.
Work is underway to restore life-supporting infrastructure. A commission has been created to assess and compensate for material damage to those affected by the natural disaster.
Nationwide, more than 113,000 people have been rescued and evacuated since the beginning of the floods. At least 13,543 have returned to their homes.
