The Minister of Emergency Situations, Lieutenant General Genghis Arinov, got acquainted with the work of the modern monitoring and early warning system for mudflow hazards in the mountainous regions of the Almaty region.
One of the key directions was the implementation of the first project in Kazakhstan to equip high-altitude observation posts with autonomous residential modules. The head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations opened a new modular observation post house on the moraine lake of the Talgar River basin.
The module is designed for round-the-clock accommodation and service by seasonal observers of the State Institution "Kazselezashchita" of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, who monitor explosive moraine lakes. It is adapted to operation in high-altitude conditions, equipped with thermal insulation, all necessary equipment for work and recreation, as well as household amenities for a long stay of employees.
The creation of comfortable conditions allows seasonal observers to serve around the clock throughout the mudflow-prone period, ensuring continuous monitoring of the state of moraine lakes, timely identification of potential threats and prompt transmission of information for making necessary decisions.
As part of the further modernization of the monitoring system in the mountainous regions of Almaty and the Almaty region, 11 more insulated modular houses for seasonal observation posts are planned to be installed by mid-August.
Another important area was the introduction of automated monitoring. The Minister launched the work of four automated monitoring stations installed in the Talgar River basin.
The stations are designed for continuous monitoring of hydrological parameters and rapid identification of threats of mudflow processes. The equipment monitors the water level, the condition of mudflow-prone riverbeds and potentially explosive moraine lakes in real time.
The received data is transmitted to specialists of the State Institution Kazselezashchita to analyze the situation, assess risks and take timely preventive measures. In conditions of intense precipitation, active snowmelt and other unfavorable natural factors, the automated system can significantly reduce the time to receive information and increase responsiveness.
The installation of the stations is being implemented within the framework of the international GLOFCA project "Reducing the vulnerability of the population of Central Asia to the risks of glacial lake breakout in the context of climate change", implemented with the support of UNESCO and funded by the Adaptation Fund. The project provides for the creation of a modern surveillance and early warning system in high-altitude areas.
During the working trip, the Head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations also got acquainted with the progress of preventive work on moraine lake No. 19 in the Talgar River basin, where siphon systems have been launched.
The measures taken are aimed at reducing the risks of emergencies related to mudslides and improving the safety of the population, infrastructure facilities and territories exposed to mudflow hazards.
The opening ceremony of the building of the future Kazakh-Chinese Joint Earthquake Research Center took place in Almaty. The event was attended by the Minister of Emergency Situations, Lieutenant General Genghis Arinov, Mayor of Almaty Darkhan Satybaldy, Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Almaty Su Fangqiu, representatives of the Institute of Geophysics of the Earthquake Administration of the People's Republic of China, government agencies, the scientific community and invited guests.
The opening of the building became an important stage in the development of Kazakh-Chinese cooperation in the field of seismic safety. The Kazakh side has created the necessary infrastructure for the functioning of the future joint Center. In order to consistently develop bilateral scientific cooperation until the conclusion of an intergovernmental agreement on the establishment of a Kazakh-Chinese joint Earthquake Research Center, an Earthquake Research Center has been established within the structure of the National Scientific Center for Seismology, which includes three specialized laboratories.
The functional purpose of these laboratories corresponds to the planned model of the future joint Center, which will allow joint scientific research to begin at the current stage. For these purposes, scientific organizations of Kazakhstan and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the National Scientific Center for Seismological Observations and Research LLP of the Ministry and the Institute of Geophysics of the Earthquake Administration of the People's Republic of China on scientific and technical cooperation in the field of geophysics and seismology.
During the event, the Ministry of Emergency Situations awarded departmental awards to representatives of organizations and employees of emergency situations for their significant contribution to the development of the civil protection system and the implementation of this project.
The implementation of the joint project will become a new stage of scientific cooperation between Kazakhstan and China. It is expected that the research results will make a significant contribution to the development of modern methods for monitoring and forecasting seismic activity, as well as to improving the level of seismic safety in the two countries.