Cities in Russia’s Urals, west Siberia brace for worst floods in decades

Swiftly melting snow triggered the worst recorded flooding in Russia’s Ural Mountains, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes as some of Europe’s biggest rivers swelled to bursting point.

Russia declared an emergency in the Orenburg region near Kazakhstan after the Ural river, Europe’s third longest river, swelled several metres in hours on Friday and burst through a dam embankment in the city of Orsk.

The river, which rises in the Ural Mountains and flows into the Caspian Sea, will reach dangerous levels on Monday in Orenburg, a city of 500,000 downriver from Orsk, and the peak is expected there on April 10, said Russia’s Ministry of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief.

Dozens of protestors in Orsk, which was submerged in metres of flood water over the weekend after a dam burst, on Monday protested against the government’s weak response in a rare show of dissent in Russia.

Videos posted by local social media channels showed the crowds shouting, “Shame! Shame! Shame!” and “Putin, help!”

More than 10,400 homes across Russia have been flooded, with the Urals, Siberia, the Volga and central regions the worst hit, according to the ministry.

“Dozens of settlements on the territory of the Siberian, Ural and Volga federal districts are flooded as a result of the spring floods,” Emergencies Minister Alexander Kurenkov said.

“An increase in air temperatures, active snow melt and river openings are predicted,” the Emergencies Ministry said. “More than 10,400 residential buildings remain flooded in 39 regions.”

Putin ordered Kurenkov to visit the area and has held several online meetings with governors of the affected regions – including Orenburg, Kurgan and Tyumen regions.

In addition to Orenburg, Kurgen and Tyumen regions declared emergencies, according to the local authorities.

Footage from Orsk, 1,800km (1,120 miles) east of Moscow, showed one man wading through flood water which reached his neck: He held his keys in his mouth and a black cat above his head.

‘Do not delay evacuation’

Rising water was forecast in Siberia’s Ishim and Tobol rivers, tributaries of the Irtysh river, which along with its parent, the Ob, forms the world’s seventh-longest river system.

The mayor of Orenburg, Sergei Salmin, said the Ural river was expected to break the previous record of 9.46 metres (31 feet). It is currently 8.93 metres (29 feet).

“Absolutely everyone who is in the flood zone needs to leave their homes,” Salmin said. “Do not delay the evacuation! The situation will only get worse in the next two days.”

President Vladimir Putin asked the government to form a special commission to deal with the flooding in Orenburg, Kurgan and Tyumen regions, the Kremlin said.