An excavator struck a water pipe at a construction site for a new tunnel in Kazakhstan's capital, at the intersection of Mangilik El Avenue and Almaty Street, causing a leak. Residents of nearby apartment complexes raised the alarm over water pooling in the trench, fearing their basements could be flooded, the website infohub.kz reports.
The incident occurred on October 19. According to local residents, water began rising in the trench at some point, alarming people living in nearby buildings.
Astana's akimat said that at around 11:00 on October 19, a trench was being dug as part of work to reroute a heating main. A water pipe ran immediately alongside, at a distance of about 0.5 meters. During the excavation, the pipe shifted and water flowed into the trench being dug. The excavator grazed the pipe slightly, creating a crack and causing a leak. This is due to the material of the pipe, which is prone to cracking under mechanical impact.
Astana Su Arnasy was notified immediately. Water supply to the section was shut off and the damage to the water main was repaired. Water is currently being pumped out of the trench. Once that is complete, work to reroute the heating main is expected to resume, the akimat said.
It was reported earlier that construction of a transport tunnel on Almaty Street had begun in Astana's Yesil district. It will form part of a new interchange near the Presidential Library under construction.