Flooding in Russia's Orenburg, Kurgan oblasts causes widespread destruction, mass evacuations

Flooding continues to impact Russia's Orenburg and Kurgan oblasts located on the border with Kazakhstan, causing destruction in the city of Orenburg, Russian media reported on April 13.

The impact of the floodwaters has prompted the evacuation of at least 120,000 people in the two oblasts and in a neighboring region of northern Kazakhstan.

Melting snow and torrential rain have caused swelling water levels in the Ural River, leading to the collapse of a dam in the city of Orsk on April 5.

At least 3,000 homes in the city of Orenburg have been flooded, and Russian authorities have called for the mass evacuation of residents of parts of the city, which has a population of more than half a million.

Emergency workers said the water levels in the Ural River were two meters (6.5 feet) higher than what is considered dangerous.

The Russian state-controlled news agency RIA Novosti reported on April 7 that the Orsk oil refinery had suspended its operations as a result of the flooding.

Bridge collapses in Russia’s Smolensk region, killing 1, injuring 5

A bridge collapsed in Vyazma in Russia’s Smolensk region on April 8, killing a woman and wounding five more people, including a child, emergency services reported.

The Kyiv IndependentDinara Khalilova