The Russian city of Orenburg, located near the Kazakh border, is currently facing severe flooding not seen in decades. The situation has prompted officials to evacuate locals to escape rising rivers in the Urals and western Siberia. Moscow declared a federal emergency on Sunday due to the floods, with the Ural River inundating much of the city of Orsk and forcing thousands of residents to leave their homes. The city of Orenburg, with a population of 550,000, is now bracing for dangerous flood levels. The Kremlin has also warned of imminent floods in the Kurgan and Tyumen regions in western Siberia. So far, over 10,000 residential buildings have been flooded, mainly in the Urals, Volga area, and western Siberia.
Many areas in the Orenburg region have been evacuated, with authorities closely monitoring the water levels in cities like Orsk and Orenburg. While the Ural River receded slightly in Orsk, the water levels in Orenburg continued to rise rapidly, with reports of a 16-centimeter increase in a day bringing it to 872 centimeters. Orenburg’s Mayor Sergey Salmin described the situation as unprecedented, noting that the city had not seen such high water levels since 1942 when it reached 946 centimeters. President Vladimir Putin has been kept abreast of the developments and has ordered a government commission to address the floods. In Orenburg, Mayor Salmin emphasized the urgency of the situation, highlighting that there is no time for persuasion, only for immediate action.
Authorities in the Orenburg region have evacuated thousands of people, with the water levels not expected to peak until Wednesday. The weather monitoring agency Rosgidromet has warned that many districts in the city of Orenburg will be impacted by the flood. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan expressed solidarity and support as the Ural River flows into his country, where the floods are being described as one of the worst natural disasters in decades. In addition to evacuating residents in Orenburg, authorities have started relocating individuals in Siberia’s Kurgan city, where the Tobol River is projected to rise. Precautionary evacuations have been carried out in Kurgan, with reinforcements of rescuers from the Urals arriving to assist in preparations for the floods.
Emergency services in western Siberia have raised concerns about the potential flooding of Tobolsk, one of the oldest cities in Siberia, by the Irtysh River. President Putin, known for his previous skepticism towards climate change, has taken steps to ensure that Russia is better prepared for extreme weather events. The country has witnessed severe floods and fires in recent years, prompting Putin to emphasize the need for increased readiness. The ongoing floods in Orenburg and western Siberia serve as a stark reminder of the importance of proactive measures to address the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events. As authorities continue to monitor the situation and coordinate response efforts, the well-being and safety of residents remain a top priority.
