The Kazakh government anticipates another flood peak in the Aturau region this week, with the Zhayik (Ural) River rising above dangerous levels at the streamgages in Inderbor and Makhambet villages, QazMonitor reports citing primeminister.kz.
What happened: On May 14, the government meeting chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov discussed the high-water season. Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev informed participants that the flood peak is anticipated in the Atyrau region this week.
Currently, the water level in the Zhaiyk River has surpassed the dangerous threshold at the streamgages in Inderbor and Makhambet villages. Authorities are fortifying affected areas, implementing dike construction, stacking sandbags, erecting earthen berms, and water pumping.
Local emergencies remain active in eight regions across the country. Overall, 12,908 private residential buildings were submerged, with 264 houses in three regions still underwater. Additionally, 25,921 plots, including 18,025 country houses, were affected. In the Atyrau region, two settlements are still inaccessible by transportation.
In total, over 119,000 individuals were evacuated from flooded areas, including 44,000 children. About 55,600 people have returned home, while around 5,000 citizens remain in temporary accommodation centers.
Damage assessment and compensation: As of the latest update, 20,600 families have been granted lump sum payments equivalent to 100 monthly calculation indexes, totaling ₸369,200 (as of May 14, 2024, $836.53). The cumulative disbursement has reached ₸7.5 billion ($16.9 million). Furthermore, 680 families have received compensation for material losses, amounting to ₸362 million ($820,219), while 568 families have been compensated for housing repair and restoration, totaling ₸710 million ($1.6 million).
In light of the stabilized flood situation in the regions, local administrations should ramp up damage assessment and preliminary planning efforts. It is imperative that all measures to compensate for the damage, including the restoration of houses and infrastructure, are promptly executed. We must get the affected people back to normal life as quickly as possible.