Russia and Kazakhstan have issued evacuation orders for over 100,000 individuals as rapidly melting snow has caused massive flooding, described as the worst in the region in at least 70 years.
The surge of meltwater has inundated numerous settlements in the Ural Mountains, Siberia, and areas of Kazakhstan near rivers like the Ural and Tobol. Local authorities reported that water levels rose by meters within hours to unprecedented heights.
The Ural River, Europe’s third-longest, breached an embankment dam on Friday, resulting in the flooding of Orsk City, situated south of the Ural Mountains. Downstream, in Orenburg, with a population of around 550,000, water levels neared the critical mark of 9.3 meters, triggering alarm bells for imminent major floods.
In Kurgan, situated on the Tobol River, a tributary of the Irtysh, evacuation warnings blared through sirens. A state of emergency was declared in Tyumen, a significant oil-producing region in Western Siberia, known as the largest hydrocarbon basin globally.
Record floods swept across Russia and neighboring regions
More than 10,400 homes in 39 entities across Russia have been flooded, with the Urals, Siberia, as well as the Volga and central regions being the worst hit.
The Russian Emergencies Ministry said that the spring floods… pic.twitter.com/9iZqq3QTOn
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) April 9, 2024
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov cautioned that challenging times lie ahead for the Kurgan and Tyumen regions, anticipating a substantial influx of water.
President Vladimir Putin engaged in discussions with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, where over 86,000 people have been evacuated. Tokayev described the flooding as perhaps the worst in 80 years.
The severely affected regions include Atyrau, Aktobe, Akmola, Kostanai, Eastern Kazakhstan, Northern Kazakhstan, and Pavlodar, mostly bordering Russia and traversed by rivers originating there.
Amid the crisis, frustrations erupted in Orsk, where residents implored the Kremlin for aid, criticizing local officials for inadequate response efforts.
While Putin remains updated on the situation, there are no immediate plans for him to visit the flood-affected areas, with local authorities and emergency teams leading response efforts.
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Drone footage from Kurgan depicted traditional Russian wooden homes and the gilded domes of Orthodox Churches surrounded by water. In Orenburg, residents navigated inundated roads, while efforts were underway to fortify dams and embankments against the surging Ural River.
Despite warnings, some individuals disregarded evacuation calls, prompting Kurgan Governor Vadim Shumkov to urge residents to heed the alerts.
As water levels continued to rise in the Tobol, approximately 19,000 people in the region were deemed at risk. Additionally, forecasts indicated rising water levels in Siberia’s Ishim River, a tributary of the Irtysh.
The cause behind this year’s severe flooding, despite snowmelt being an annual occurrence in Russia, remains unclear. However, scientists attribute increased flooding frequency worldwide to climate change.
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