An earthquake disrupted flight operations at Almaty International Airport, delaying landings for several aircraft. The Civil Aviation Committee of the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan reported that air traffic control at the airport’s control center was suspended for about 20 minutes during the tremors, a disruption that affected the flow of arrivals and departures. The agency noted that air traffic management shifted to the regional control sector during the pause, allowing the airport area to regain orderly operations once the shaking subsided.
Five aircraft were in the airport vicinity at the time, with one successfully landing while the remaining four waited in the airport area. Those four aircraft were repositioned to ensure safe sequencing for arrivals after the temporary interruption. The situation underscored the rapid response required when automated systems face operational interruptions caused by seismic activity.
In response to the incident, the automatic air traffic control system at the control tower was temporarily evacuated as a precautionary measure. The evacuation, prompted by the severity of the earthquake, necessitated a brief halt in landing and takeoff coordination. Once the tremors subsided, staff resumed standard procedures, and the airport control center returned to normal function.
Among the four aircraft awaiting landing, Air Astana flight KS-856 from Astana to Almaty was redirected to Turkestan’s alternative airport as a contingency. Despite this diversion, three of the planes managed to complete their landings at their intended or alternate destinations soon after the disruption ended.
Currently, Almaty Airport is operating normally, with air traffic flow restored and routine services resumed. The incident prompted a review of emergency readiness and the effectiveness of automatic control transitions to alternative centers during seismic events.
The earthquake in Almaty also resulted in injuries to eight people, according to official reports. The authorities are continuing to assess the impact, including infrastructure resilience and the safety of aviation operations in the affected region.
Separately, regional authorities noted that Afghanistan had appealed for international humanitarian assistance in the wake of the earthquake, reflecting a broader pattern of regional relief coordination in response to seismic events. The situation continues to be monitored by national emergency services and international partners who offer support through established channels for disaster response and reconstruction.