Massive flood aftermath: Kialimskoje Dam collapse displaces hundreds
Water has returned to the riverbed in the village of Kiolim in the Chelyabinsk region. Homes are being searched, reports the Ministry of Emergency Situations. On Friday, a 328-foot section of the Kialimskoje Dam collapsed. Nearly 170 people were evacuated.
11:51 AM EDT, July 27, 2024
According to a correspondent from the Access news agency, the village of Kiolim in the Karabash urban district (Chelyabinsk region) is entirely without water and electricity.
Dam breach in Russia
"Water has returned to the riverbed," reports the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM). Rescuers are using drones to inspect the area. Heavy equipment and about 50 rescuers are on-site, combing through the ruined homes.
200 people in the danger zone
As we reported on Friday, the dam at Kialimskoje Reservoir broke. A 328-foot section of the dam collapsed, creating a massive flood wave. People fled to the roofs of their buildings in panic. In the village of Kiolim alone, the water reached a height of 3 feet.
About 200 people were in the flood zone. EMERCOM reported that 163 people, including 21 children, were evacuated from the threatened areas. No one died.
In total, 170 rescuers and 60 pieces of equipment are working at the disaster site.
The Governor of the Chelyabinsk region, Alexei Teksler, also arrived on-site, his press service announced. He is organizing help for the flood victims.
The Kialimskoje Reservoir was created in 1979 and is a natural monument of "regional significance." It is located 5 miles southwest of Karabash and serves as a source of drinking water. Its volume is 1.6 billion gallons, and the dam is 1,788 feet long.
