Deputy of the People's Party of Kazakhstan (PPK) faction, Irina Smirnova, has sent a request to Prosecutor General Berik Asylov and Minister of Emergency Situations Chingis Arinov regarding the lack of systematic assembly points for the population during earthquakes in Almaty.
THE GIST OF THE MATTER
According to Irina Smirnova, the issue was identified following meetings with residents of the regions, particularly the city of Almaty.
The deputy notes that the city is located in a zone of high seismic activity with possible earthquakes of up to magnitude 10. In such conditions, she says, the civil protection system must include clearly defined evacuation mechanisms and safe public spaces for assembling the population.
WHAT URBAN PLANNING DOCUMENTS REVEAL
An analysis of the current and amended Almaty General Plan found no systematic solutions providing for the creation and preservation of special areas for evacuating and assembling people during emergencies.
It is also noted that current legislation in the field of civil protection does not contain a clear definition of the term "assembly points for the population during emergencies" nor requirements for such facilities.
In responses from the relevant bodies, including the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Department of Emergency Situations, the public is given only general recommendations — to leave buildings and stay in open areas away from potentially hazardous facilities.
However, as emphasised in the request, such recommendations are not enshrined as regulatory requirements.
EXAMPLES OF DEVELOPMENT ON POTENTIAL EVACUATION ZONES
The deputy provides specific cases that illustrate the problem of shrinking open spaces.
For instance, the grounds of School-Lyceum No. 131 named after Bauyrzhan Momyshuly, which is designated as assembly evacuation point No. 289, are being partially built on: a building for Nursery-Kindergarten No. 115 has already been placed there, and construction of an additional block is also planned.
A similar situation is observed in the Akademgorodok area, where a previously existing public space — a park — is being built over with residential complexes, despite residents' appeals for its preservation.
Thus, this is not about isolated incidents, but about the reduction of open territories that, in a seismically hazardous city, could be used for evacuating the population.
WHAT MEASURES ARE PROPOSED
The PPK faction has appealed to the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) with a proposal to urgently study the current situation and take measures to ensure public safety.
The deputies are also asking the Prosecutor General's Office to give a legal assessment of the absence of both the assembly points themselves during emergencies and their regulatory definition.
CONTEXT
Earlier, the editorial board of FBRK had already raised the issue of seismic risks in Almaty. As part of a series of articles a study was conducted of the city's tectonic fault map and the residential complexes located near them.