Water levels rise and homes flood in Russia after a dam bursts

Moscow: Russian officials scrambled to help homeowners displaced by floods as water levels rose in the Ural River, authorities said Wednesday.

Floods in the Orenburg region near Russia’s border with Kazakhstan sparked the evacuation of thousands of people following the collapse of a dam on Saturday.

Russia’s government has declared the situation a federal emergency.

Although President Vladimir Putin is frequently shown on Russian state television meeting officials and travelling across the country, the Kremlin said he is not yet planning to visit the flood-hit region.

The river’s water level in the city of Orenburg was above 10 metres (almost 33 feet) Wednesday, state news agency Ria Novosti reported, citing the regional governor. Photos shared

by Russian news outlets showed roads covered in water, submerged fields and partially submerged houses.

The water was approaching high-rise buildings, Ria Novosti said, and more than 300 homes were flooded overnight, according to state news agency Tass.

People in the city of Orsk gathered in a rare protest Monday, calling for compensation after their homes were damaged. Protests are unusual in Russia, where authorities have consistently cracked down on any form of dissent following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Hundreds of people gathered in front of the administrative building in Orsk on Monday, and videos posted on Russian social media showed people chanting “Putin, help us!” and “Shame!” Other videos on social media showed angry Russians refusing to leave the areas near their homes because they said thieves

were looting abandoned houses with boats.