“Rest more and avoid stress”: Doctors give advice as powerful magnetic storm approaches Kazakhstan

Tengrinews.kz – A powerful magnetic storm is expected to hit Earth in the coming hours as a result of a massive solar flare.
Scientists believe that Kazakhstan will begin to feel the effects of the solar storm caused by the explosion on the Sun as early as tonight.

"We expect a minor to moderate magnetic storm between October 4 and 5, following a flare near the Sun’s central meridian, which was accompanied by a coronal mass ejection. This solar event is likely to impact Earth's magnetosphere," explained Botagoz Seyfullina, a senior researcher at the Laboratory of Space Weather Diagnostics and Forecasting at the Institute of Ionosphere, in an interview with the Kazakh TV Channel (KTK TV).

Although severe consequences are unlikely, the planet is still expected to experience a prolonged geomagnetic disturbance.

“According to preliminary estimates, the storm may last up to two days, with breaks, affecting both Friday and Saturday. At its peak, fluctuations in the Earth's magnetic field could reach G3 level, the third level out of five on the geomagnetic scale,” stated the Solar Astronomy Laboratory of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IKI RAS) and the ISZF of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ISZF SB RAS).

In response to the impending storm, Karlygash Kalieva, head of Clinic No. 36 in Almaty, advised Kazakhstani citizens to prioritize rest.

"Our bodies have electric fields, so these storms can affect us. Magnetic field fluctuations, occurring at a rate of 1-2 per second, match the rhythm of our heartbeat. Patients with chronic illnesses, especially those under medical observation, may feel the effects. It’s essential to alternate between work and rest, with rest being the priority during this period," Kalieva told KTK.

Doctors warn that those with chronic heart conditions will be most vulnerable during the storm, with around 70% of strokes occurring during periods of geomagnetic activity.
A similar storm hit Earth on September 17, with Kazakhstani experts shedding light on its nature at that time.