Severe flooding in Russia prompted evacuation orders in two cities as melting snow from the Ural Mountains and Siberia caused major rivers to swell, leading to some of the worst flooding in at least 70 years, Reuters reports.
The Ural River, Europe’s third-largest river, breached an embankment dam, leading to extensive flooding in Orsk and raising water levels in Orenburg. Over 10,500 homes have been flooded, with thousands more at risk. Emergency declarations have been issued in several regions, including Orenburg, Kurgan, and Tyumen, home to a major oil-producing area in Western Siberia.
The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations has mobilized resources to address the crisis, with preventive measures and rescue teams deployed to affected areas. The ministry has been placed on high alert status to coordinate relief efforts and mitigate further damage.
While annual snow melt is common in Russia, the severity of this year’s floods has raised questions. Some experts attribute the intensified flooding to the effects of climate change, which have increased the frequency and severity of extreme weather events worldwide.
