In the Turkestan region, due to heavy rains, the riverbed was widened, and now residents of the village of Zhinishke are experiencing serious difficulties crossing it, reports the website infohub.kz.
As local residents told KTK TV channel, since June they have lost peace and constantly face problems. It all started when their houses were flooded during heavy rains. To avoid a recurrence, the authorities decided to widen the bed of the local river flowing right through the center of the village. Previously, there were several crossings over the shallow water body, but after the widening, only one remains, which causes fear among parents of schoolchildren, livestock owners, and pensioners. In summer, the water body seems safe, but in other seasons it is completely unpredictable, locals note.
“In one family alone, 7-8 children study. How are they to cross, who will take them across? Should parents go to work or take their children to school? If proper conditions were created and bridges were in order, we would be calm. But now we worry: what if they fall, what if something happens. There have already been cases. My neighbor's son fell twice,” said village resident Zhaksybay Omarbekov.
To somehow get from one part of the village to another, residents have built a makeshift crossing themselves, but it is unlikely to withstand heavy rains. And autumn is coming soon. People also fear that due to the work carried out, water from the hills will now flow directly into the village. “If water comes, there could be even more than now. All the water from these elevations is already being directed into this canal. After all the water from these hills flows here, the canal will overflow. They wanted to do better, but it turned out as always. They dug it up and didn't even put everything in order properly,” complained local resident Seyitkasym Duisebekov.
Specialists, however, are confident that this is the only way to protect the village from mudflows. They promise to widen the section and direct the water into the Keles River. 59 million tenge has been allocated for the construction of several crossings. “We will build a bridge for cars and two for pedestrians. They will be convenient and safe. We have cleaned everything that was possible. We cannot restore everything to its former state,” noted Deputy Akim of Kazygurt district Nursultan Medeuov. Work is promised to begin soon. Residents ask to strengthen the banks with concrete, but such improvement is not yet planned by the akimat.