People in some regions of Russia have been battling floods for weeks. Thousands of houses have already been flooded. People in the Kurgan region should now leave their homes and seek safety.
Authorities in Russia’s Kurgan Ural region have ordered an evacuation of several districts due to flooding. “Now it’s time to pack the things and documents and find a place for the pets,” they said via Telegram.
The floods have been keeping Russia in suspense for weeks. According to the authorities, almost 18,000 houses are flooded. The flood spread particularly in the Orenburg areas in the south of the Ural Mountains and in the Kurgan region of Siberia. In the regional capital of the same name, Kurgan, the Tobol River swelled by almost one and a half meters within one day.
More evacuations
Residents in other regions and cities across the country have also been asked to leave their homes. In the particularly affected city of Kurgan, more than 14,300 people were evacuated. 3,000 houses in 25 towns have already been flooded.
Tens of thousands of people have already lost their belongings due to the floods. Residents of the affected Russian regions complain that the authorities have ignored the impending danger for a long time. Protective measures were taken too late.
In the neighboring state of Kazakhstan, the floods are of similar magnitude. However, the evacuation of threatened areas began earlier. More than 100,000 people were brought to safety from the flood.
Flooding is normal in the region at this time of year, but this year it is particularly severe. The triggers are massive rainfall and snowmelt in spring-like temperatures.