Ishim's urgent call: Evacuation amid rising river fears in Russia
At 3 AM Greenwich Time, residents of Ishim in the Tyumen region of Russia received text messages calling for immediate evacuation. Local authorities reported the reason as a "critical rise in the water level of the river by the same name". The city is home to over 67,000 people.
"Residents of Ishim in the Tyumen region are called for urgent evacuation due to the critical rise in the river's water level; the population was sent appropriate warnings" - the local authorities informed early in the morning.
Text messages are being sent out. They must escape immediately
"Residents at 3 AM received text messages calling for urgent evacuation from homes that may be in the flood zone" - we read in the authorities' statement.
The Mash channel published a recording from the village of Sokolovka, about 400 km from the city. An urgent evacuation was also ordered there, as the village is near the Ishim river.
They can only take documents and valuables
"Due to the critical rise in the water level of the Ishim River, the Ministry of Emergency Situations appeals for an immediate evacuation from homes and moving to safe places. You can only take documents and valuables" - we read in the statement.
Cataclysm in Russia
Earlier in Tomsk, Russia, part of a dam separating the river from the lake collapsed. Water is flooding into the city, and 800 homes have been flooded.
Authorities are blowing up ice jams on the river to stop the rising water level. The Ministry of Emergency Situation reports that nearly 16,000 flooded homes in all regions affected by the disaster.
The flood in Russia affected 33 regions in four oblasts: Orenburg, Tomsk, Tyumen, and Kurgan.
