How Almaty and Astana residents coped with the extreme heat — statistics

Tengrinews.kz — Amid the prolonged heatwave, doctors are recording an increase in heat-related cases. In Almaty, the number has nearly doubled, while in Astana, ambulance call-outs on hot days have risen by 15 percent.
What is happening in Almaty
The Almaty City Emergency Medical Service said the number of heat-related cases, including heatstroke, sunstroke, overheating and dehydration, had increased from 13 to 25 compared with last year.
The number of hospitalizations for these conditions has also risen. Four patients were taken to hospital last summer, compared with six this year. The remaining patients received medical assistance at the scene.
According to specialists, doctors also respond more frequently to patients with chronic illnesses during hot weather.

“This is because high temperatures can trigger flare-ups of chronic conditions and worsen patients’ overall health,” the organization said.

The most common cases involve cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, respiratory illnesses, heart attacks, strokes and renal colic.
According to the emergency medical service, doctors recorded the following cases this summer:

circulatory system diseases — 11,163 cases;hypertension — 6,602;respiratory diseases — 10,603;heart attacks — 393;acute cerebrovascular accidents, or strokes — 466;angina — 817;and others.

Despite the hot weather, no deaths related to overheating or heatstroke were recorded in Almaty in either 2025 or 2026.
What is happening in Astana
The Astana City Emergency Medical Service press office said that, according to the Public Health Department, 39 cases of heatstroke and sunstroke were recorded in June and July 2026.
During periods of hot weather, the number of ambulance calls increased by 15.1 percent compared with the same period last year.
Bota Sadetkhan, first deputy director for medical affairs at the Astana City Emergency Medical Service, previously said that while ambulance crews usually handle around 1,800–1,850 calls per day, the figure exceeded 2,000 in July at the peak of the heatwave.
According to her, people with chronic illnesses are the most vulnerable during periods of extreme heat. Cardiovascular diseases ranked first among ambulance call-outs in Astana, accounting for up to 30 percent of all calls, the largest category.
Astana’s emergency medical service also reported that no deaths related to high temperatures had been recorded.
Forecasters previously said that another spell of intense heat is expected in Kazakhstan in the coming days. Warm air masses arriving from Iran will bring extreme heat to the country’s western and southern regions.
Read more here about the weather expected in Astana and Almaty from August 7 to 9.