Sudden snowmelt floods 10,000 homes in Russia
Torrential floods have swept through Russia, submerging over 10,400 homes across the country due to the rapid snowmelt and rising water levels in the largest rivers.
The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations stated that over 10,400 homes across the country have been inundated by water, as the rapid snowmelt led to an increase in water levels in some of Europe’s largest rivers, causing record water levels in the Ural Mountains.
The Ural River, which originates in the Ural Mountains and flows into the Caspian Sea, rose by several meters within hours on Friday due to snowmelt, and water overflowed through a dam in the city of Orsk, 1800 kilometers east of Moscow.
Reports of floods have also been reported in Siberia, the Volga region, and the central regions of Russia, according to the Reuters news agency.
The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations said, “An increase in air temperatures is expected, as well as significant snowmelt and river floods,” adding, “More than 10,400 residential buildings remain submerged in 39 regions.”
