A mass evacuation is currently in progress in the Russian city of Orenburg as severe flooding wreaks havoc in parts of the country and northern Kazakhstan. The city's mayor, Sergei Salmin, issued a directive via Telegram urging residents in multiple areas to evacuate immediately, emphasizing the extreme danger posed by the flooding.
Residents in at least eight areas or streets have been instructed to leave their homes, with the total number of evacuees yet to be determined. The flooding was triggered by the swelling of Europe's third-longest river, the Ural, due to snowmelt, leading to overflowing and inundation in numerous towns and cities along the border.
The Orenburg government has mobilized all services to operate in emergency mode and is prepared to assist residents in relocating from flooded areas to safe accommodations. Temporary housing facilities have been made available to accommodate those displaced by the floods.
As of now, over 10,000 individuals, including 2,094 children, have been moved from their residences in the broader region. The water level in the Ural River surpassed 37 feet on Friday, with peak flooding anticipated in Orenburg on the same day, followed by an expected stabilization of conditions.
Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev described the flooding as potentially the most significant disaster in terms of scale and impact in over 80 years. The Kremlin announced that President Vladimir Putin would be briefed by the governors of the severely affected regions: Orenburg, Kurgan, and Tyumen.
Residents have voiced their concerns and frustrations, with protests erupting outside the city hall in Orsk, Orenburg. Demonstrators called for assistance from the government, criticizing the perceived lack of preparedness and response. Yulia Navalnaya, widow of the late Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, also condemned the authorities for their apparent lack of readiness in handling natural disasters.
