'Our Souls Are Suffering': Kazakh Flood Victims Struggle With Rebuilding

After their homes and livelihoods were destroyed, many young families fled the village of Karatal, located in the Oyil district of the Aqtobe region, leaving behind mostly older residents who tend to their animals as they slowly try to rebuild their lives.

 

Many of the 2,000 villagers whose homes were destroyed by the spring flooding now reside in yurts -- traditional nomadic dwellings -- or tents provided by the government as they wait for new homes to be built.

Gulaisha Alieva, who worked as a teacher for 30 years, said life for the survivors is difficult. She said that life in a yurt was untenable and moved back into her damaged home.

"We lived in a yurt during the summer, where it was so hot that you couldn't endure it during the day. Now, the night is cold, and even if we turn on the electric stove, it won't get warm," she said, before adding, "Our souls are suffering, and we are very depressed."

Near this yurt are signs of progress: bags of cement and construction trucks rumbling by. But for many villagers, the pace of reconstruction is too slow, and concerns are growing that they will be spending the winter living in tents or yurts.

Government officials told RFE/RL that 126 new houses will be built, though the pace of rebuilding is hampered due to the remote location of the village. 

Gulmira Konilqosova is not pleased with the pace of reconstruction and the effects that living in a yurt has had on her family's health. One of her grandchildren has been throwing up all night and has a fever.

"Who will I tell all this to?" she asks as she gestures to her house, which has yet to be finished.

The flood-damaged secondary school awaits its reconstruction.

The villagers are also worried that children will have to do their schooling online, which has proven difficult because not every family can afford a smartphone.

Tolkyn Akhmetova and her child have been living in this yurt for five months. She suffers from leg cramps from the cold and is concerned about her future. The reconstruction of her house stopped three weeks ago after construction workers gathered their belongings and just left.

RFE/RL sent a letter to the Akimat district office asking about the stalled reconstruction in Karatal and received a terse answer: "It will continue its work."

While progress on building some homes has stopped, work on others is continuing.

Matzhan Sembigaliev, 80, and his wife, Saya, are living with their children in their garage, which survived the flood. Though a yurt was provided to him and his family, he says he hopes to move his family from the village to Aqtobe.

Kazak authorities claim that 3.5 billion tenge ($7.3 million) will be spent on building and housing the residents of Karatal whose homes were affected by the spring flooding.

For the villagers who are living in yurts or tents, the wait for their new homes continues.