Authorities in the Orenburg region of Russia are facing a crisis as a dam breach has led to severe flooding, forcing the evacuation of over 4,000 people. The Orenburg governor’s office confirmed that more than 2,500 homes have been affected by the flooding, which was caused by heavy rainfall that resulted in the dam giving way. Orsk, a city of 230,000 people located near the Kazakhstan border, is experiencing particularly challenging conditions.
Video footage released by the emergency services ministry shows residents being rescued in lifeboats, with thousands of homes submerged due to the flooding. The Russian government has opened a criminal investigation into the incident, citing negligence and violation of construction safety rules related to the dam’s maintenance.
The flooding in the Orenburg region is part of a wider issue affecting several regions in the Urals and western Siberia, as well as parts of Kazakhstan. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has described the flooding as potentially the country’s largest natural disaster in 80 years, stressing the need to learn from the lessons of this crisis.
Authorities are warning of dangerous water levels on the Ural River and are continuing rescue operations to aid those affected by the floods. The situation remains critical, with ongoing efforts to manage the impact of the dam breach and provide support to the displaced residents in the region.
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