The Russian Emergencies Ministry said that meltwater flows from the Ural Mountains had reached unprecedented levels, causing the Ural River to flood thousands of homes.
The Ural River, which originates in the Ural Mountains and empties into the Caspian Sea, rose within a few hours on Friday and put pressure on a dam dam in the city of Orsk, causing it to break.
Russian Emergencies Minister Alexander Korenkov arrived on Sunday in Orsk, 1,800 kilometers east of Moscow, to supervise rescue operations.
“I propose to classify the situation in the Orenburg region as a federal emergency and set a federal level of response.”The government official announced, citing RIA Novosti news agency.
State news agency TASS reported that six adults and three children were taken to hospital in Orsk, but their condition was not serious.
More than six thousand people, including 885 children, were evacuated from their homes in Orsk. Many animals were also rescued.
The governor of the Orenburg region, Denis Basler, said that these floods are the worst to hit the region since records were recorded. Flood warnings have been issued in other Russian regions, and Korenkov warns of the risk of the situation deteriorating quickly. 15 out of 40 schools were flooded.
Russian media reported that the authorities in the Orenburg region estimated the local cost of damage resulting from the floods at a value equivalent to 1,132.5 million euros. They also stated that the water “will not dissipate until after April 20.”
The Russian Emergencies Ministry warned that rising air temperatures, melting snow and flooding of rivers are expected.
“More than 10,400 residential buildings are still submerged in water in 39 areas.”he added.
According to the authorities in Orsk, at least four people died, but in cases unrelated to the floods.
With agencies
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