Thousands of Russians have been evacuated from their homes after an embankment dam broke in the southern region of Orenburg, near Kazakhstan. The dam in the city of Orsk could not contain the flow of water of the Ural river and broke in two places, leading to significant flooding in the area.
According to Russian state news agency TASS, at least three people have lost their lives due to the flooding. Authorities have taken swift action, evacuating 4,208 people from the region, including 1,019 children. Additionally, 495 temporary accommodation centers are being prepared to house 82,200 people affected by the disaster.
Regional authorities have highlighted that the level of the Ural river exceeded the dam's capacity by nearly double, emphasizing the severity of the situation. The dam failure has been attributed to inadequate maintenance of the hydraulic structure, prompting a criminal investigation by the regional prosecutor's office.
The breached dam had been crucial in protecting the city of Orsk from the Ural river's waters. However, the flooding has already impacted several districts of the city, with approximately 2,400 residential buildings submerged under water.
As a response to the crisis, a state of emergency has been declared in Orenburg. The head of the Orenburg region, Sergey Salmin, issued a statement urging residents in flood-prone areas to evacuate immediately for their safety. Those who resist leaving voluntarily will be evacuated forcibly with the assistance of law enforcement.
Orsk, a city with a population of 230,000, is situated near the border with Kazakhstan. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev described the flooding as one of the most significant natural disasters to hit Kazakhstan in the past 80 years.
