Several people have been reported dead in the Ural Mountains cities of Orenburg and Orsk due to historic flooding that occurred this month, despite authorities denying any casualties. Orenburg, with a population of 550,000, experienced some of the worst flooding in almost a century, with the Ural River swelling to nearly 12 meters. While water levels are receding in Orenburg, rising waters in the Ural River’s tributaries continue to pose a threat to some neighborhoods and settlements in the area.
Investigative news outlet, IStories, reported that five missing individuals had been found dead, with two more bodies discovered in Orsk, bringing the death toll to six in Orsk and one in Orenburg. Relatives of the victims have accused local authorities of withholding the causes of death to avoid paying damages to their families. An anonymous volunteer for missing persons in Orsk claimed that the actual number of victims is much higher than reported by officials.
The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry has continued to maintain that no one died directly from the floods. Initially, the Orsk mayor’s office stated that four people had died from unrelated causes on April 7 when the floodwaters started rising rapidly following a dam burst on the Ural River. In the western Siberian region of Kurgan, where floods have also occurred, 14,300 people were evacuated from areas near the rising Tobol River. The Kurgan regional administration has urged residents to evacuate early as the Tobol River continues to rise.
The situation in Orenburg and Orsk is gradually improving as water levels recede, but the threat of rising waters in the Ural River’s tributaries remains. Some victims’ relatives believe that authorities are not disclosing the true number of casualties to avoid responsibility for providing compensation. In Kurgan, the Tobol River has reached significant heights near the city of Kurgan, prompting officials to encourage early evacuations to prevent further loss of life and property damage.
The historic flooding in the Ural Mountains cities of Orenburg and Orsk has resulted in the deaths of several individuals, with some families accusing local authorities of concealing the causes of death to avoid financial obligations. Despite official reports denying any fatalities directly caused by the floods, the number of victims is believed to be much higher than what has been disclosed. Efforts are being made to evacuate residents from areas near the rivers where water levels continue to rise, posing a significant threat to communities in the affected regions. Authorities are advising early evacuation to prevent further loss of life and property damage as the floods continue to affect the Ural Mountains cities and surrounding areas.
