Flood havoc in Tomsk raises alarm over Russian infrastructure

Anton Heraszczenko, advisor to the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, shared a video on social media highlighting the ongoing issues within the Russian state. In Tomsk, a flood caused the partial collapse of an earthen embankment next to a bridge over the river.

Tomsk is a Russian city located on the West Siberian Plain, a region from which alarming news has emerged recently.

As highlighted by the Russian media, the river overflow near the bridge in Tomsk led to the collapse of an earthen dam. The bridge also suffered partial damage due to the river's overflow. Water from the Tom River began spilling into a nearby lake. However, city officials maintain that the bridge is not at risk due to the dam's collapse.

The earthen embankment, situated near the municipal bridge on the left bank of Tomsk, gave way. Water from the river inundated the road beneath the bridge and started pouring into the lake, as pointed out by Russian media.

Despite the destruction, around 20 people congregated at the dam's edge, eager to photograph and observe the damaged structure. Shortly after, police arrived and requested everyone leave and clear the entrance to the dam.

The integrity of the bridge is not compromised since it rests on deep concrete foundations. Once the flood recedes, the slope of the earthen embankment will be repaired. A similar incident occurred in Tomsk back in 2010, as recounted by the mayor's office.

The mayor's office's reassurances seem questionable. According to the Ministry for Emergency Situations, on Saturday, water levels in the Ural River in flood-hit Orenburg, in the southwest of Russia, escalated to approximately 39 feet (12 meters). The level was around 30 feet (9 meters) just a few days prior.

Spring floods are a recurrent event in Russia, particularly when the heavy winter snow begins to melt. However, the current situation is notably severe.