NUR-SULTAN -- Melting snow has caused severe flooding in several regions of Kazakhstan, forcing hundreds of people to flee their homes and killing livestock.
Emergencies Minister Yury Ilyin said on April 6 that 185 residential buildings and 78 summer houses were affected by heavy flooding in the country.
Ilyin said that the most affected territories were in western Kazakhstan and the Aqtobe region, while the situation remains serious in Nur-Sultan, the capital, the Aqmola region surrounding it, as well as in the central Qaraghandy region.
Since late March, at least 600 people had to leave their homes in the western Kazakhstan region over the increasing floods. More than 100 domestic animals and cattle have been killed by the floods in the region.
In the northwestern region of Aqtobe, flooding disrupted communications between the regional capital, Aqtobe, and nearby towns and villages for several days last week.
Also last week, a 9-year-old child died in the floods in the Qaraghandy region. Dozens of residents of the town of Rabochy in the region were evacuated on April 5 as flooding reached their homes.
Ilyin said there was a danger that 285 towns and villages across the country may suffer heavy flooding in coming days as snow continues to melt quickly.