ASTANA – Leaders of Kazakhstan’s major businesses announced their readiness to assist the state in eliminating the consequences of floods in the Kostanai Region during an April 30 meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev, reported the Prime Minister’s press service.
Photo credit: Ministry of Emergency Situations. Click to see the map in full size. The map is designed by The Astana Times.
ERG, Allur Group, and RG Brands allocate millions for reconstruction in Kostanai region
The founding shareholders of the Eurasian Resources Group (ERG), large mining and raw materials supplier, allocated 400 million tenge (US$907,741) in the first days of the flood and then transferred another 40 billion tenge ($90.7 million) to eliminate the consequences of the disaster and support residents. These funds are also planned to be used to reconstruct road and engineering infrastructure, as well as schools in the region.
The chair of Allur Group of Companies, focused on the manufacture and distribution of cars, Andrey Lavrentyev, said he would send 3 billion tenge ($6.8 million) to the region. This amount will be used to construct 140 houses or purchase 96 apartments and renovate 400 houses. Previously, his companies transferred 500 million tenge ($1.1 million) to the Demeu Kazakhstan charity fund to fight the disaster.
“Difficult times bring people together. As soon as high water came to Kostanai, our employees, together with employees of the akimat (administration) and special services, began strengthening dams and helping people at distribution points. This is our home region, all our enterprises are located here. The allocated funds will be used to purchase apartments and build houses,” said Lavrentyev.
In turn, RG Brands, a leading beverage company, will also allocate 1.46 billion tenge ($3.3 million) for the construction and renovation of housing in the region.
In addition, 405 million tenge ($919,088) was transferred from the government reserve to purchase houses for flood victims in Arkalyk town in the region.
Bozumbayev instructed special commissions to complete all work to assess damage from floods by May 10.
As of April 30, the Qazaqstan Halqyna Fund (to the people of Kazakhstan) collected 4.77 billion tenge ($10.8 million).
“These are all donations that have been received since April 1, including a large transaction worth 1.3 billion tenge ($2.9 million) from the Aq Niet Group. Halyk Bank transferred 950 million tenge ($2.1 million), large construction companies and the logistics sector also made contributions. Individuals donated nearly 500 million tenge ($1.1 million),” said fund’s spokesperson Marat Mukhamedsaliyev to the Atameken Business TV channel.
Flood situation in the regions
According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the flood situation is stabilizing in the West Kazakhstan Region. The water level in the Zhaiyk River is falling. The flood situation is being monitored using a drone. The situation in the North Kazakhstan Region is still under control. According to forecasts, no new flooding is expected.
“Due to heavy precipitation in the form of rain, the water level in the Bukhtarma and Kishi Ulba Rivers increased in the East Kazakhstan Region. A group of forces and means of the Emergency Situations Department, military unit of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Center for Disaster Medicine was sent to the Altai and Glubokovsky districts. They are conducting an aerovisual flight,” said Askar Sharip, a representative of the Ministry of Emergency Situations at a May 2 briefing at the Central Communications Service.
At the moment of writing the article, 43,015 people across the country had returned to their homes, and 6,338 people remain in evacuation centers.
