Evacuation in progress. Orenburg faces catastrophic floods and dam risk
6:22 PM EDT, April 12, 2024
The authorities of Orenburg have announced an immediate evacuation for the city's residents due to a sudden increase 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, urging residents to evacuate immediately. The authorities have warned of the risk of a dam near the city breaking.
The situation has escalated to the worst-case scenario, with the Ural River's water level rising higher than services predicted. In the last 10 hours, it has surged by approximately 1 foot and 3 inches, surpassing the critical level. The current water level stands at about 37 feet and 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 in progress! The flood situation in Orenburg is extremely dangerous. I urge residents to evacuate immediately. Take your documents, medicines, and essential items, and leave your homes immediately. The situation is critical; don't waste time!" the message from Mayor Sergey Salmin announces.
According to the Orenburg region's administration, the water level near Orenburg has broken the historical record, previously set at 35 feet and 9 inches. As of the morning of April 12th, about 5,000 lots and nearly 3,000 homes have been flooded.
SMS Alerts for Residents
The Ministry of Emergency Situations is sending out alerts to call for evacuation.
Alexey Kudinov, the first deputy mayor of Orenburg, announced that the flood's peak in Orenburg would occur on April 12th, after which the water level would remain stable for two days before beginning to decrease.
Following floods on April 4th, a regional state of emergency was declared in the Orenburg region. However, after a dam burst in Orsk on April 7th, a government commission declared the flood a federal state of emergency.
The regional prosecutor's office attributed the dam breach to its improper maintenance, stating that funds allocated for renovation had been systematically embezzled. On April 6th, the Investigative Committee of the Orenburg Region opened a criminal case for violating safety regulations. The estimated damage in the region exceeds 40 billion rubles or about 530 million USD.
