Authorities in Russia have issued evacuation orders for parts of the city of Orsk in the Orenburg region after a dam burst, exacerbating the already severe flooding in the area. The flooding, caused by heavy rains that have swamped the Ural mountains and nearby regions, has also led to tens of thousands of people being relocated in neighboring Kazakhstan.
According to Interfax, almost 11,000 people live in the affected areas of Orsk, where the dam broke following recent downpours. Russia declared a state of emergency in the Orenburg region earlier this week as the flooding continued to worsen, leading to the evacuation of more than 2,000 people from their homes.
In Orsk, approximately 600 residences were estimated to have flooded overnight, with about 530 people involved in the rescue efforts, according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Thankfully, no injuries or deaths have been reported so far.
The city of Orsk, home to around 200,000 people, is situated on the banks of the Ural and Or Rivers, with the embankment dam that burst constructed about a decade ago. The flooding has also affected Barnaul, the capital of the Altai territory in western Siberia.
In Kazakhstan, nearly 47,000 people have been evacuated from the flood zone, making it one of the largest disasters in terms of scale and impact in over 80 years, according to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Despite the challenges, rescue efforts are ongoing, with all available resources, including the national guard and armed forces, mobilized to assist those in need.
As the situation continues to unfold, residents in the affected areas are urged to stay vigilant and follow the guidance of authorities to ensure their safety during this challenging time.