ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 4. The police of Almaty city has been transferred to enhanced duty after the earthquake, the Almaty Police Department said, TurkicWorld reports.

“The Almaty police have been transferred to an enhanced version of service. Over two thousand police officers ensure law and order in Almaty. Patrol police officers, district inspectors, juvenile police inspectors and operational units have been transferred to an enhanced version of service. In addition, investigative and operational teams have been strengthened,” the department explained.

Meanwhile, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC), an earthquake with magnitude 5.3 happened today at 11:22 (GMT +5) near Almaty.

At the same time, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan noted that the earthquake's epicenter was 31 kilometers south of Almaty. The city scored a 5 on the MSC-64 scale for sensitivity.