The Epiphany of the Lord, or Epiphany, will be celebrated in Orthodox churches of the Karaganda region on January 18 and 19. There are already 15 places in the region for those who want to take a dip.
The safety measures during Epiphany bathing were discussed at a briefing on the platform of the Regional Communications Service.
– First of all, it is a religious holiday dedicated to the Baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River. And it should begin with a festive divine service – this is the main part of the holiday, and bathing is already a second time," said Archpriest of the Vvedensky Cathedral of the city of Karaganda of the Karaganda and Shakhty diocese Akhiya Rakhimzhanov.
15 specially equipped bathing spots have already been identified in the Karaganda region. This list will be updated as requests from local executive authorities are received.
On the eve of the holiday, rescuers checked the dive sites and took measurements of the thickness of the ice. On average, it is about 50 cm in the reservoirs of the region. This is a safe level that allows for such large-scale events.
The Emergency Department of the Karaganda region also gave recommendations and reminded about the safety rules during Epiphany bathing.:
- before diving into the font, do a warm-up to warm up the body;
- do not drink alcohol before and after bathing;
- avoid thin areas, cracks and washouts;
- do not gather in large groups in one place;
- do not light a fire or go out on the ice at night;
- do not jump into the water from acceleration or at an angle;
- do not build fonts yourself.
Non-compliance with the rules is subject to administrative liability under article 412 of the Code of Administrative Offences.
— Epiphany is a celebration of the soul, not the body. And if the body is not prepared by tempering, a healthy lifestyle, etc., then it is better not to take risks and abandon immersion in water," added Archpriest Ahiya Rakhimzhanov.
List of specially equipped bathing areas:
1. Karaganda – Fedorovskoe reservoir.
2. Karaganda Cathedral, 1a Gapeev St.
3. Temirtau – Samarkand gas storage – city beach.
4. Temirtau is a recreation area of the converter shop of JSC "Qarmet".
5. Balkhash is a city dam.
6. Shakhtinsk is a reservoir in the area of the Shakhty im. Lenin Street.
7. Saran – Saransk reservoir;
8. Priozersk – Lake Balkhash, near Kosmonavtov St., 8.
9. Abaysky district – Sherubai-Nurinsky reservoir — recreation area "Abayskaya".
10. Bukhar-Zhyrau district – the Nura River, near the village of Botakara.
11. Bukhar-Zhyrau district – the Oshagandy River, near the village of Tsentralny.
12. Bukhar-Zhyrau district – reservoir in the recreation area "Yasnaya Skazka", Novaya Uzenka settlement.
13. Nurinsky district – the Kunduzda River.
14. Osakarovsky district – Pionerskoe village (Ishim river 100 meters from the street Sovkhoznoy, 67).
15. Osakarovsky district – on the Ishim River in the village of Yesil.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/karaganda/press/news/details/917076