Russia Hit By Floods, Dozens Of Thousands Of People Evacuated

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION/UNSPLASH/Chris Gallagher/Bingley UK

JAKARTA - More than 13,500 people were evacuated from cities and villages in Kurgan, Russia, which were hit by the flood, according to the regional government.

"As of 08.00 local time, April 17, 13,567 people have been evacuated from flooded settlements, and those in the flood risk zone," Kurgan authorities said in a statement on the Telegram messaging application quoted by ANTARA from Sputnik, Wednesday, April 17.

Ural's regional weather agency warned that the water level of the Tobol River, which crosses Kurgan City, had exceeded the dangerous limit, which is 850 centimeters and is expected to continue to rise until Thursday.

Russia's Emergency Ministry estimates 669 settlements, 2,376 summer homes, five low bridges and nine roads submerged in Kurgan on Wednesday. More than 18,700 people in 62 cities and villages are expected to be affected.

According to Kurgan Governor Vadim Shumkov, the right bank of the Kurgan City river is occupied by more than 100 settlements and several small districts, flooded.

The water level of the Tobol River rose 41 centimeters in six hours and reached 906 centimeters at 14.00 local time. according to the Kurgan City government.

Russian regions in the Ural and Siberian mountains have been hit by heavy floods triggered by rapid melting of snow and rising river water levels for weeks.

Kurgan, Orenburg and Tyumen areas have declared a flood emergency.