Hazards: Landslide protection

摘要

A spur of the massive Tian Shan range, the Alatau Mountains form a high barrier between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in the heart of Asia. Their snowy peaks create a beautiful frontier, but are also the source of numerous debris flows, which threaten and destroy the villages and towns along their flanks.Almaty, the major city of Kazakhstan, is built on a huge alluvial fan with the Alatau rising directly from its southern fringe. At the head of the fan, the Malya Almatinka canyon rises steeply to Medeu, a winter sports centre at an elevation of 1700 m, less than 10 km from the Almaty suburbs and 800 m above them. Just 5 km further up the valley, the ski resort of Shymbulak has ski lifts rising to 3200 m, below the Komsomola peaks which reach 4375 m.