In Kazakhstan, local authorities will be granted new powers.

During a meeting of the Mazhilis, the head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations presented a draft law proposing amendments in the field of civil protection. These changes aim to grant new powers to the ministry and local akimats, as reported by NUR.KZ correspondent.

https://www.nur.kz/politics/kazakhstan/2218080-akimaty-nadelyat-novymi-polnomochiyami-v-kazahstane/2025-02-05 08:27:30

Chingis Arinov announced that new systemic approaches will be implemented to ensure the safety of the population residing in seismic zones.

"In particular, the ministry and local executive bodies will be empowered to conduct seismic hazard assessments, and measures will be put in place to protect the population from earthquakes and to mitigate their consequences.

"The ministry will also be granted the function of coordinating urban planning projects, focusing on ensuring seismic, mudslide, and avalanche safety," - stated the head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, Chingis Arinov, during a meeting.

He added that the Committee for Emergency Situations will be entrusted with oversight functions regarding emergency situations for both central state and local executive bodies.

It is worth noting that in January of last year, Deputy Bakytzhan Bazarbek mentioned that there are several unresolved issues at the legislative level in Kazakhstan concerning earthquake prevention and the restoration of damages following such events.

He proposed to introduce a legislative ban on allocating land plots in areas with tectonic faults, as well as a prohibition on issuing initial materials and permits for construction in zones with tectonic fractures.

Additionally, he suggested granting akimats a special status by providing them with additional competencies for developing and approving city zoning regulations.

This suggestion emerged after residents of Almaty experienced strong underground tremors on the night of January 23: frightened citizens rushed to the streets. At 00:43, aftershocks were recorded. Another aftershock occurred at 05:19, registering a magnitude of 2-3 in Almaty. Subsequently, tremors were felt again in the southern capital.

Many residents of Almaty were outraged that SMS alerts about the earthquake were sent only after the event, while notifications from Google arrived several minutes prior. Yesterday, during a briefing, the head of the Almaty Emergency Department explained why this occurred. He also addressed the reasons why the city sirens did not activate.

Furthermore, Deputy Ekaterina Smyshlyaeva expressed her concerns about why Almaty residents were not warned via SMS about the earthquake and proposed amendments to the legislation.