Russian City of Orenburg Evacuates as Ural River Flooding Reaches Dangerous Levels

On Friday, authorities in the city of Orenburg, near the border with Kazakhstan, announced a mass evacuation as the water levels in the Ural River continued to rise, posing a significant threat of further flooding.

The Orenburg mayor, Sergei Salmin, issued a statement via the messaging app Telegram, urging residents to evacuate immediately as sirens blared across the city. The mayor emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, "This is not a drill. The flood situation in Orenburg is extremely dangerous."

Escalating Water Levels

Salmin highlighted that the water level in the Ural River had surged by 40 centimeters in the past 10 hours, reaching a critical height of 11.43 meters. He described these escalating figures as perilous. Distressing images from the city depicted entire districts submerged in water.

Background and Impact

The flooding stemmed from a dam breach in the city of Orsk, situated approximately 1,200 kilometers southeast of Moscow, following intense water pressure. The authorities have classified the situation as a federal emergency of great significance.

According to reports, while the number of flooded houses in the region had slightly decreased to over 11,700, down from nearly 12,000 the previous day, the state news agency Tass disclosed that water levels had receded in Orsk. Furthermore, approximately 10,700 individuals have already been evacuated from the affected areas.