On 12 March in Semey, a 15-metre fence of the road-and-bridge collapsed due to strong winds. As a result, the optical communication lines of Kazakhtelecom JSC were damaged.
The akimat reported that this caused the internet to go down on the left bank of the city. However, local residents claimed that it was down across the entire city. According to some reports, the communication issues have now been resolved.
As reported by informburo.kz, warning tape has been put up in place of the collapsed railings on the bridge. The walkway on the collapsed side has been closed to pedestrians, but traffic across the bridge continues.
"The pavement on the right side from the left bank towards the right bank has been closed. Vehicle traffic is open on all four lanes. Measures are currently being taken to repair and restore the railings," the akimat said.
It is worth noting that the road-and-bridge in Semey across the Irtysh River was built back in 1964. In 2021, it had already thrown up a few 'surprises'. At that time, a section of the paving slabs collapsed. The bridge was temporarily closed for a while and then brought back into service.