ASTANA – Almaty city witnessed an earthquake on Jan. 23 at 12.09 a.m. Astana time, causing no fatalities or severe damage, said Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, according to the Prime Minister’s press service.
Photo credit: Alexander Pavsky/Kazinform.
With an epicenter 264 kilometers southeast of Almaty on the border of the Kyrgyz Republic and China, the seismic activity continued with a magnitude 2 shockwave at 12.42 a.m. and an imperceptible one at 01:36 a.m.
As of 7 a.m., Kazakhstan experienced three seismic events, with the maximum perceptibility in Almaty being 5, Shymkent recording 2, the Zhambyl Region registering 2-3, and the Zhetisu Region noting 4 points.
Despite no recorded casualties, eight people were injured due to rash actions, as they jumped from the second and third floors driven by panic in the absence of timely information. They were promptly taken to city hospitals.
The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of timely warnings and clear instructions for citizens in such situations.
A national operational headquarters, led by the Minister of Emergency Situations, has been established along with hotlines with psychological support and reception points set up for the affected population.
The state civil protection system in the regions was put on high alert, with command and staff vehicles deployed, rescue units mobilized, and the public warning system prepared for immediate response.
The seismic forecasting commission reported that strong and destructive earthquakes are not expected in Almaty, urging residents of the region not to panic and to trust only official sources.
