Akmola Oblast flooded by melt waters in Kazakhstan
Meltwater has flooded 330 houses in Atbasar town in Akmola Oblast in central Kazakhstan. 256 people were evacuated and accommodated in local schools. 5 lookout posts were set up. “Several explosions were made to break ice clogging were made in the riverbed and the water level has started going down, because the melt water started flowing through the pipe culverts,” the press office reported.
The water started flowing from the fields quite suddenly and caught the residents unaware. They could not evacuate neither documents nor warm clothes. "Computers, furniture, beds, everything has been flooded, even our documents. The house is made of adobe blocks, it’s all gone." Tatyana Safronova, a local resident of Atbasar town said.
And there is still danger that things might get worse. The snow is melting heavily that the local river - Zhabai - might start spilling any moment. Its bed is still clogged with ice in places.
The authorities are pumping out water and clearing the riverbed. They promised to help the residents restore the damaged houses.
