Thousands of houses flooded after levee collapse in Russia (VIDEO)
Over 2,500 houses have been flooded in Russia’s Orenburg Region, which borders Kazakhstan, after an embankment burst in the mountain city of Orsk, the regional government's press service has reported.
Over 4,000 people have been evacuated from the emergency zone, according to a statement posted on Telegram.
In Orsk, where the rupture occurred, around 600 houses have been flooded, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM) reported earlier on Saturday.
After the Ural River rose to dangerous levels due to melting ice, an emergency was declared across the entire region on Friday.
The Ural typically floods during spring, but heavy rains and a recebt sharp rise in temperatures caused the river near Orsk to rise almost a meter higher than normal.
The river burst the levee that normally diverts the stream away from the city, and began to flood Orsk’s old town district late Friday. Two leaks were found in the levee several hours before the break occurred. The local authorities said nearly 11,000 people may be in the flooding zone and up to 4,200 houses could be affected.
First responders began evacuating people late Friday night. EMERCOM deployed more than 530 specialists; 125 vehicles and 75 watercraft were involved in the rescue effort as of Saturday, the ministry stated.
The local authorities are warning residents to pack documents, essential belongings, and pets, and proceed to designated temporary shelters.
Dozens of heavy industrial vehicles are reinforcing the damaged portions of the embankment, EMERCOM said.
A video posted by the ministry shows crews conducting evacuation efforts, using amphibious vehicles.
Around 230 people, including 73 children, have been evacuated from Orsk – which has a population of 190,000 – to temporary shelters, as the waters continue to rise, they added.
