Kremlin has raised a stark warning about floods declaring a federal emergency amid the flooding in the Orenburg region, where the Ural River left much of the city of Orsk covered in water forcing thousands to leave their homes.
The southwest Russian city of Orenburg, near the Kazakh border was bracing for its worst flooding in decades. The entire region of Tyumen in western Siberia was put under a state of emergency as the flood risk mounted.
Russian Flood disaster
In the south, Orsk’s major areas were underwater after torrential rain caused a dam to burst. Orenburg authorities said that while the Ural River “went down by nine centimetres” in Orak, the water level in the river was rising quickly.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov informed that Putin had ordered the governors of Kurgan and Tyumen to prepare for an expected sharp rise in water levels and inevitable floods.
Regional authorities said that they expect the peak of the flood and the situation to stabilize after April 20.
The official expected the estimated damage of floods to be $226 million so far. Authorities have started allocating aid payments – $500 to $1000 per person for lost property.
Emergency services said Monday that more than 10,000 residential buildings had been flooded. They warned of the rise in air temperature, active melting snow and overflow of rivers. Governor Alexander Moor was quoted by state media as saying all of the Tyumen region would be under a state of emergency until the flooding risk passed.
Kremlin in action
According to the Kremlin’s telegram channel, President Vladimir Putin was briefed on the situation in Orsk by the governor of the Orenburg Region Denis Pasler who is at the site of the flooding. Emergencies Minister Alexander Kurenkov also reported on the situation in the flooded area.
Putin also instructed the Minister for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Natural Disaster Relief Alexander Kurenkov to fly to the zone and organize all the necessary work.
On the morning of April 8th, Putin heard about the updates on the flood situation and measures taken to help people in the flood and evacuation zones. Putin instructed the government to set up a special government commission, to be chaired by Minister for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Natural Disaster Relief Alexander Kurenkov.
