Kyzyl-Agash Dam failure

The Qysyl - Agasch Dam was a dam outside the village Qysyl - Agasch in Kazakhstan.

On 11 March 2010, the dam broke and devastated the village. It was first spoken 34-35 dead ( among them were 10 men, 16 women and seven children), in other sources, it was said, at least 40 people had been killed. A further 300 people were injured, some seriously, and over 1500 people had to leave the area. Hundreds of houses were demolished, 44 people, including 16 children, came to the hospital.

History

Misfortune

The dam, which dammed an artificial lake, collapsed after torrential rains, which lasted several days. Snow melt, which came by a rapid rise in temperature, the dam was then completely down. The tidal waves unexpected slippery slope generated with a height of up to 2 meters. A highway bridge, which connected the city of Almaty with millions Öskemen near the Russian border, was completely destroyed.

More than 600 staff have been employed to remove the debris and to build makeshift camp. Security forces were on alert to take action against possible looting. It was a field hospital set up so that you could supply the large amount of casualties. Furthermore, were used soldiers of the Kazakh army. The Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Mässimow, personally traveled to the disaster area to make of the situation there a picture.

When the rescue measures, however, there was a renewed misfortune than a rescue helicopter with rescue workers on board on the way to the ruined village Qysyl - Agasch was and crashed far from unknown causes. All six crew members and two pilots were killed.

Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev announced plans to send a team of experts in the area and to let investigate the accident. He also said that future dams were monitored more closely by the government and non-compliance with statutory provisions would entail tough penalties. The dam was privately owned.

The government announced to provide about 600 million tenge ( approximately € 3 million ) for the reconstruction and available to the parties concerned to ensure help.

The next day, out in neighboring county Qaratal at the place Schylbulak another dam by the same cause. However, all 820 residents were rescued in time.