The death toll from last week's flood that destroyed a village near the Kazakh financial hub Almaty has risen to 40, the emergencies ministry said on Thursday.

"A total of 40 bodies have been discovered since the start of rescue works," it said in a statement, adding that nearly 300 people had been injured when a dam burst in the village of Kyzyl-Agash last Friday. Previously the death toll had been 37.

Police have since detained the village mayor and several other officials as part of the probe into the dam rupture.

Spring flooding is a frequent occurrence in Central Asia but a sudden rise in temperatures following weeks of heavy snow storms has exacerbated the problem this year.
 

Reuters