ASSESSING AWARENESS AND PREPAREDNESS FOR HAZARDOUS PROCESSES ASSOCIATED WITH GLACIAL LAKE OUTBURST FLOODS UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE: A CASE STUDY OF THE POPULATION OF TALGAR TOWN

In the second half of the 20th century, amid the degradation of modern glaciation in Kazakhstan, the activity of glacial mudflows increased, attracting growing scientific attention to this natural phenomenon. Numerous investigations of disaster zones have shown that most recorded emergencies were triggered by glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). As part of the UNESCO project “Reducing the Vulnerability of Populations in Central Asia to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods under Climate Change,” the Institute of Geography and Water Security conducted a survey of residents in the town of Talgar to assess their awareness and preparedness regarding GLOF-related hazards. Respondents were divided into focus groups according to the social status. The survey method (one of the most widely used tools in sociological research) was applied. In this approach, respondents complete a questionnaire independently, either in the presence of a specialist (interviewer) or on their own. The questionnaire, typically containing up to 30 questions, was distributed to a selected sample of respondents, who were treated as the subjects of the study.