“An increase in the ice level has been recorded on the Ili River, there may be flooding, and in the river’s floodplain there are settlements and the Kapshagai hydroelectric power station,” said a source familiar with the situation told KazTAG.
KazTAG asked for comments from the press services of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Department of Emergency Situations of the region and the akim of the Almaty region.
“On February 21, 2024, the Emergency Situations Service of the Almaty region received a storm warning that at the hydrological post of the Ile River - 164 km above the Kapshagai hydroelectric station, as a result of an ice jam below the post, a sharp increase in water level was observed,” said the Emergency Situations Department.
As rescuers clarified, the water level on February 21 at 8.00 was 462 cm, while at a critical level in winter the water level is 500 cm.
Photo source: picture from an open source