Residents Flee Floods In Southern Kazakhstan

A Kazakh man lives in makeshift housing after fleeing floods earlier this spring.

SARYAGHASH, Kazakhstan -- At least 56 houses have been damaged by floods in the village of Zhylga near the town of Saryaghash in South Kazakhstan Oblast, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reports.

Some 300 local residents have fled their homes, fearing that more houses might be affected by the floods.

It is the second period of flooding caused by heavy rains in the region this month. Two weeks ago, the town of Saryaghash and six villages were flooded and hundreds of people fled.

The eastern and southern regions of Kazakhstan have been hit by severe flooding repeatedly since March.