Orenburg faces a historic flood. Urgent evacuation as Ural River levels soar
The authorities of Orenburg announced an immediate evacuation of the city's residents due to a sudden rise in the water level of the Ural River. "A siren is wailing in the city. This is not an air raid alarm. Evacuation is underway!" - wrote the mayor of Orenburg, Sergey Salmin, who called on residents to flee immediately. The authorities warn that there is a risk of breaking one of the dams near the city.
The worst-case scenario has come true. The water level in the Ural River has risen more than services had predicted. In the last 10 hours, it has increased by about 40 cm (1 foot 4 inches) and exceeded the critical level. Currently, the water level in the river is about 11.4 metres (37 feet 5 inches).
"The situation is critical, don't waste time!"
"Attention residents of Orenburg! A siren is wailing in the city. This is not an air raid alarm. A mass evacuation is underway! The flood situation in Orenburg is extremely dangerous. I appeal to residents to evacuate urgently. Take your documents, medicines, and essential items, and leave your homes immediately. The situation is critical; don't waste time!"—announces the message from the mayor of Orenburg, Sergey Salmin.
According to the administration of the Orenburg region, the Ural's level near Orenburg broke the historical record of 10.9 metres (35 feet 9 inches). On the morning of April 12th (GMT), the city had 5,000 lots and nearly 3,000 homes flooded.
SMS alerts to residents
The Ministry of Emergency Situations is sending out alerts calling for evacuation.
The first deputy mayor of Orenburg, Alexey Kudinov, announced that the peak of the flood in Orenburg will occur on April 12th (GMT). The water level will then be stable for two days before starting to decline.
Due to the floods on April 4th, a regional state of emergency was declared in the Orenburg region. However, on April 7th, after a dam burst in Orsk, a government commission declared the flood a federal state of emergency.
The regional prosecutor's office linked the dam breach to its improper maintenance. Funds for its renovation were said to have been systematically embezzled. On April 6th, the Investigative Committee of the Orenburg Region initiated a criminal case based on a violation of safety regulations. The damage in this region alone amounts to more than £400 million, or about £530 million.
