Russia, Kazakhstan evacuate more than 100,000 people due to worst floods in 7 decades

Russian and Kazakh authorities have ordered the evacuation of more than 100,000 people in areas along the Ural and Tobol rivers due to the worst flooding in seven decades.

Melting ice has caused river water levels to rise in many populated areas in the Ural Mountains, Siberia in Russia and Kazakhstan, especially along the Ural and Tobol rivers.

On the night of April 9, officials in the Russian city of Orenburg, with a population of about 550,000, recorded the water level of the Ural River reaching 9.31 meters, exceeding the critical level of 9.3 meters. Orenburg Governor Denis Pasler called on people in flooded areas to evacuate immediately.

Authorities in the city of Kurgan, which sits on the banks of the Tobol River, issued an emergency alert urging residents to evacuate. Russian officials estimate that about 19,000 people in the Kurgan region live in risk zones.

Floods hit Russian city — The Ural River has risen, flooding the Russian city of Orenburg, submerging roads and low-lying areas. Video: *RIA Novosti*

Kurgan Governor Vadim Shumkov expressed concern that some residents were not following the evacuation order because they did not want to leave their belongings behind. He stressed the seriousness of the situation and asked people to heed the warnings.

A state of emergency has been declared in the Tyumen region in Western Siberia. Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov visited the region to inspect the damage caused by the floods. Local officials have warned that the floodwaters will continue to rise for at least the next three days and that the situation will become more complicated until the end of April.

Rescuers evacuate people from a flooded area in Orsk, Orenburg region, Russia, on April 8. Photo: AFP — Rescuers evacuate people from a flooded area in Orsk, Orenburg region, Russia, on April 8. Photo: *AFP*

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on April 9 that the situation in Russia's Kurgan and Tyumen provinces in the coming days will be extremely difficult as a large amount of melted ice water flows into the rivers.

He said President Putin had ordered the governors of Tyumen and Kurgan regions to prepare for rising waters. Mr Peskov added that President Putin had no plans to visit the flood-hit areas at the moment.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said his country had evacuated about 86,000 people from severely affected areas, most of which are near the Russian border and have tributaries flowing from Russia.

In a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he said this was Kazakhstan's most severe flood in 80 years.