Hundreds evacuated in flood-hit East Kazakhstan

Floods in East Kazakhstan Oblast have affected seven villages in Zyryanovsky District, almost one thousand people have been evacuated, Tengrinews reports with a reference to the press-secretary of the Department of Emergency Situations of East Kazakhstan Oblast Anastasia Sklyar.

A state of emergency was declared in the area. According to rescuers, the villages that were affected are: Zubov, Maleyevsk, Putintsevo, Bykovo, Bayanovsk, Parygina and Snegirevo.

In all, 356 houses were damaged or destroyed. Some of the villages were cut off from power after the water flooded the transformer substations. Operations headquarters and non-stop crisis center for providing assistance to victims were organized on the sites. 210 people and 30 pieces of equipment are involved in the emergency relief operations.

"Rescuers have evacuated 976 people from the flooded areas, including 217 children. The people will be staying with their relatives or in special temporary safe houses organized in nearby schools. In addition, all the livestock was driven away to prevent losses. There have been no casualties,” the press secretary said.

According to the latest information of the Department of Emergency Situations, the water eroded the bridge on the Ust-Kamenogorsk - Zyryanovsk - Rakhmanov Kliuchi highway and the road was closed for all types of vehicles.

By Dinara Urazova