Residents of part of the Nauryzbai District of Almaty were temporarily evacuated due to the risk of mudslides. According to emergency services, the reason was forecast heavy rainfall in the mountainous area and the risk of mudslide formation. At the time of publication, the hydrological situation remains stable.
WHY THE EVACUATION WAS ANNOUNCED
According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES), the RSE «Kazhydromet» forecasts heavy rainfall in the mountainous area, therefore the threat of mudslide formation persists.
All units of the MES, Kazselezashchita, as well as the civil protection services of the Department of Emergency Situations of Almaty (DES Almaty) have been placed on an enhanced operational footing. Round-the-clock monitoring of mudslide-prone areas is underway, and rescue units are on standby for rapid response.
For the prompt notification of the population in the Nauryzbai District, the warning system has been activated locally. The MES emphasised that this is a preventive measure.
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE NAURYZBAI DISTRICT
Residents of the Nauryzbai District reported receiving an emergency national alert. The message contained information about the threat of flooding in the district, dam seepage, and the need for urgent evacuation.
Due to the mudslide risk, a preventive evacuation was organised for residents living along the Aksai River bed. People were temporarily housed in reception centres set up in the district's schools.
The MES also set up an operational headquarters and opened a hotline on 8 (727) 279-22-32. According to the agency, 4 calls were received. All measures are proceeding as planned.
WHAT IS THE CURRENT SITUATION
According to the DES Almaty, the hydrological situation in the Nauryzbai District remains stable.
The monitoring and warning service, the emergency mechanised team of Kazselezashchita of the MES, and other civil protection services continue round-the-clock monitoring. After the situation has fully stabilised and the threat has been eliminated, residents will be allowed to return to their homes, about which they will be informed additionally.
The MES also recommends temporarily refraining from hiking and recreation in the Ile-Alatau mountains until weather conditions stabilise. Those already in the mountainous area are advised to immediately leave riverbeds and dangerous areas during heavy rain, and not to set up tent camps near riverbeds, mudslide channels, and dams.
CONTEXT
Against the backdrop of warnings about heavy rainfall and mudslide danger, the influence of global climate processes on extreme weather events is being discussed again online. One of these is considered to be El Niño — a climate phenomenon associated with the anomalous warming of surface waters in the central and eastern part of the Pacific Ocean.
According to estimates by a number of global climatologists, it can affect weather conditions in different regions of the world and be accompanied by more frequent extreme events, including heavy downpours, floods, and droughts.
However, Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev stated that he does not share such long-term forecasts. Responding to questions from journalists about Kazakhstan's preparedness for the consequences of Super El Niño, he said he does not trust such assessments and considers short-term forecasts more justified.