Evacuations Continue in Flood-Hit Russian Regions, With Worse to Come for Some

Evacuations and rescue efforts continued in a number of areas along Russia’s southern border on Monday, April 8, as authorities warned of a worsening flood situation following a dam burst on Friday.

Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations said more than 10,400 residential buildings were flooded in Orenburg, Samara, and Kurgan. Over 6,127 people had been evacuated.

Footage released by the ministry shows the flooding, with emergency services seen carrying out evacuations in Orenburg, drone footage showing floodwater in Samara, and livestock being pulled from thick mud in Kurgan.

In Orenburg, the worst-hit oblast, the water level of the Ural River near the city of the same name rose 16 cm in a day, reaching 872 cm by Monday morning, Interfax reported, citing the mayor’s office.

Orenburg Mayor Sergey Selmin urged city residents to evacuate announcing that the city was in a state of emergency. “The flood situation in Orenburg is getting worse,” he said in a video posted to VKontakte.

The situation was improving slightly in the worst affected city of Orsk, as the water level fell by 9 cm to 963 cm on April 8, according to the regional governor. Credit: Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations via Storyful