“Apocalyptic proportions”: Floods flood thousands of houses in Russia

“Apocalyptic proportions”
Floods flood thousands of houses in Russia

April 10, 2024, 1:24 a.m

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The spring floods in Russia are currently causing a tense situation. Parts of the city of Orenburg are already under water and containment does not appear to be in sight. Residents are begging for Putin’s help, while Kremlin critics are highlighting failures in prevention.

The flood disaster in Russia on the southern foothills of the Ural Mountains is expanding. In the city of Orenburg, the Ural River exceeded the critical level, reached a high of 9.31 meters, and the floods were spreading, the authorities announced. Several parts of the city were already under water. Orenburg Governor Denis Pasler called on people to flee to safe parts of the city.

A state of emergency applies in the Orenburg region. More than 10,000 houses are flooded and more than 6,500 people had to flee to safety and leave their belongings behind. Russian state media speaks of a “flood of the century of apocalyptic proportions.” Particularly affected in the Orenburg region is the city of Orsk, where dams were broken. But neighboring regions are also complaining about rising floodwaters.

Photos and videos also showed huge flooded areas in the Kurgan region in southwest Siberia. In some cases only the roofs of the houses stuck out of the water. People were brought to safety in lifeboats. President Vladimir Putin, who, according to the Kremlin, is continually informed about the situation, ordered greater deployment of police patrols to prevent looting. A video showed people chanting “Putin, help!” in a square. shouted.

Those in power are not prepared

So far, the Kremlin chief has sent government members to the disaster region, where the water levels had risen quickly due to the massive melting of snow and ice in the Ural Mountains, accompanied by rainfall. Critics complain that too little has been done for years to prepare for spring floods. “In Russia there is one catastrophe after another,” said Putin critic Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Kremlin opponent Alexei Navalny, who died in February.

As always, those in power are not prepared. “In the winter they are not prepared for frost and snowfall, in the summer they are not prepared for the forest fires, in the spring they are not prepared for the floods,” she said. More than 10,000 houses and more than 18,000 inhabited properties are under water. “But Putin’s officials are in no hurry to help people.” They are only concerned with themselves.