Anonymous bomb threat forces emergency response at Almaty mall photo

Authorities in Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, evacuated people from the Mega Park shopping mall on December 9 following an anonymous bomb threat.

According to Kazakh media, witnesses near the site said the building’s alarm system activated shortly before the evacuation order was issued. Staff were then instructed to guide people out of the building. Those inside were told to remain calm and directed toward the nearest exits, while access to the mall was immediately blocked.

The incident occurred before the mall’s 10:00 a.m. opening time, meaning that most of those inside at the moment were employees preparing for the start of the workday.

The Almaty police press service confirmed that they had received an anonymous message warning of a possible explosive device in the shopping centre.

“As part of the city’s rapid-response protocol for such alerts, all emergency services and operational units were immediately deployed. To ensure public safety, both visitors and staff were evacuated, and a joint inspection of the building is now underway,” the police stated.

Law enforcement also reported that efforts are being made to identify the anonymous caller who issued the false warning. Once identified, the individual will be held accountable in accordance with national legislation.

By Tamilla Hasanova