Putin addresses worsening flood crisis in Orenburg region

According to the regional government's press service, the flood situation in Orsk is escalating according to the worst-case scenario, putting over 6,600 residential houses at risk.

Russian President Vladimir Putin once again addressed the pressing flood situation in the Orenburg Region during discussions with Emergencies Minister Alexander Kurenkov, TASS reported, citing, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov. "Orenburg Region Governor Denis Pasler and Emergencies Minister Alexander Kurenkov briefed the president today on the development of the flood situation in the Orenburg Region around Orsk," the spokesman said.

He added that "the president in his conversation with Kurenkov emphasised and pointed to the need for timely analysis, forecasting and taking appropriate measures regarding the situation that is unfolding with possible flooding in the Kurgan and Tyumen Regions." "The president also plans to hold telephone conversations with the leaders of these regions today," Peskov concluded, according to TASS. According to the regional government's press service, the flood situation in Orsk is escalating according to the worst-case scenario, putting over 6,600 residential houses at risk.

"The flood situation in Orsk is developing according to the worst-case scenario, there are 6,644 residential houses in the flooded area. Eleven temporary shelters with a capacity of 8,087 places have been set up," the statement said. In Orsk, 1,164 individuals, including 336 children, have been evacuated, with 696 people housed in nearby temporary shelters.

The collapse of a dam in Orsk, the second-largest city in Russia's Orenburg Region, occurred in two locations overnight on April 6th, with another breach occurring later the same day. Although two individuals were found dead in the flooded area, officials clarified that their deaths were unrelated to the emergency. Authorities have declared a regional-level emergency and are urging residents to evacuate promptly, TASS reported.

Three people have been killed following the flooding after an embankment dam broke in the southern region of Orenburg, near Kazakhstan. As of Saturday morning, the level of the Ural river was nearly double the level the dam was designed to handle, according to regional authorities.

The dam failure occurred because the hydraulic structure was not properly maintained, and a criminal investigation has been opened, the regional prosecutor's office said. The dam was protecting the city from the waters of the Ural river. By Saturday morning, the water had reached several districts of the city, flooding nearly 2,400 residential buildings, TASS reported.

"A state of emergency is in effect in Orenburg," the head of the Orenburg region Sergey Salmin said in a Telegram post Saturday. "This situation leaves us no choice; overnight the [river] level may reach a critical level. I demand that everyone immediately leave their houses in the flood zone."

"Those who refuse to leave the danger zone voluntarily will be evacuated forcibly, with the participation of police officers," he added, CNN reported. Orsk, a city of 230,000 people, lies near Russia's border with Kazakhstan. (ANI)

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