Russia: The Ural Mountains in Russia have been hit by the worst flooding ever recorded due to rapidly melting snow. This caused several of Europe’s largest rivers to reach their maximum capacity and overflow.
Thousands of people are forced to evacuate their homes as a result. The Orenburg region near Kazakhstan was proclaimed an emergency zone by the Russian government. The Ural River, which is Europe’s third longest river, rose several meters within hours and caused a dam barricade in the city of Orsk to break.
The river, which originates from the Ural Mountains and flows into the Caspian Sea, is expected to reach dangerous levels in Orenburg, a city with a population of 500,000 located downstream from Orsk. According to Russia’s Ministry of Civil Defense, Emergencies, and Disaster Relief, the peak of the river is expected to occur this week in Orenburg. The ministry reports that over 10,400 homes were flooded across Russia, with the worst affected regions being the Urals, Siberia, the Volga, and central regions.
Alexander Kurenkov, Emergencies Minister, stated that, “Dozens of settlements on the territory of the Siberian, Ural and Volga federal districts are flooded as a result of the spring floods. An increase in air temperatures, active snow melt and river openings are predicted. More than 10,400 residential buildings remain flooded in 39 regions.”
Governor Alexander Moor announced that an emergency was declared in the Tyumen region, which is one of Russia’s significant oil-producing areas in Western Siberia. The Ishim and Tobol rivers in Siberia, which are branches of the Irtysh River, are expected to experience a rise in water levels. A river system that features both the Irtysh and Ob rivers is the seventh-longest in the world.
The mayor of Orenburg, Sergei Salmin, proclaimed that the Ural River’s water level is likely to surpass the previous record of 9.46 meters (31 feet). The current water level is 8.93 meters (29 feet). “Absolutely everyone who is in the flood zone needs to leave their homes. Do not delay the evacuation! The situation will only get worse in the next two days,” Salmin said.
President Vladimir Putin insisted the government to form a special commission to handle the flooding crisis in the Orenburg, Kurgan, and Tyumen regions, as per the Kremlin’s statement.
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