Rodents blamed for catastrophic flood in Russian Urals

Over the weekend, a dam burst in the city of Orsk in the southern Urals, near the border with Kazakhstan. Water flooded several thousand homes. According to the company director who built the dam, rodents were to blame. The journalists listening to him looked at each other in disbelief.

The Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations reported that a state of emergency was announced in the Orenburg region, where Orsk is located. In the city, the dam burst, flooding several thousand homes and the affected area, which is home to 10,000 people.

Overnight from Saturday to Sunday, the villages of Nickel and Stroitel were flooded. Rescuers evacuated the residents. The level of the Ural River in the Orenburg region reached about 11 metres. The governor of the Orenburg region said this was the highest flood in the region's history.

4,208 people were evacuated, including 1,019 children - the press services of Denis Pasler, the governor of the Orenburg region, reported on Telegram.

Traffic was blocked in several streets in Orsk, and gas and electricity were cut off in some districts. More than 700 rescuers equipped with special equipment are working on site.

What was the problem with the dam? For me, it's also a mystery. I considered two factors. The first is the human factor, someone might have used... the wrong equipment for repairs, and in this way, several pipelines were damaged. After reviewing the material, however, I think this factor is unlikely - said the director of the company that built the dam.

Russia quickly found an explanation for the massive flood. It's all because of... animals.

There was only one factor left - rodents, which could have chewed through the dam. In this case, an opening of about 20-30 mm in diameter was enough for the dam to give way - he emphasizes.

The prosecutor's office warns residents of the region against protests. The statement emphasized that "the specified mass event has not been agreed with the authorities, and therefore participation in it carries the risk of responsibility for violating the rules of conducting a rally. The individuals will also be punished with administrative arrest".