As of today, flood prevention measures have been completed in only one region of the country.
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Inadequate planning of activities, untimely submission of budget requests, or lack of funds for construction and installation work are among the reasons for the failure to implement the Flood Prevention Roadmap, stated Sarym Sharipkhanov, the Minister of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan, during a Government meeting, as reported by Sarbaz.kz.
"For instance, in Shymkent, a major renovation of the Bozaryk canal was planned; however, to this day, apart from technical surveys, no work has been carried out. Conversely, in the Kyzylorda region, for the third consecutive year, budgetary allocations designated for the cleansing of the Syrdarya Riverbed remain unutilized. This year also carries the risk of non-utilization," stated Sarym Sharipkhanov.
Currently, flood prevention measures are fully completed only in the Abay Region. In other regions, there are instances of delays and non-utilization of funds. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Alihan Smailov, instructed to rectify all violations and enhance efforts.
"We deliberately consider the issue of flood period preparedness well in advance. Spring is still far away. Nevertheless, all preparatory measures need to be completed before the onset of winter. Flooding does not tolerate mistakes, unfinished work, and underfunding," declared Smailov.
Indeed, earlier this year, drainage systems in the Turkestan, Zhambyl, and Almaty regions struggled to cope with heavy precipitation. In Aktobe and West Kazakhstan regions, existing protective embankments and levees were eroded. Residential buildings were destroyed. Moreover, in the village of Shili in the Kostanay region, floodwaters breached the dam that had undergone major repairs just in 2020. Additionally, timely snow removal and cleaning of drainage systems were not consistently undertaken in all areas.