Dam failures have led to devastating floods in several regions of Russia. In the hard-hit city of Orsk, anger was unleashed against the authorities and residents gathered for a demonstration (see also the video above) – a rare phenomenon in authoritarian Russia.
Hundreds of people demonstrated in front of the town hall on Monday, accusing the authorities of failure. “Shame! Shame,” they chanted, as the Kremlin critical portal “Ostoroshno, Novosti” reported. Residents criticized the fact that the dam, on which a lot of money was spent, according to official information, could not withstand the floods.
Those responsible “must be fired and locked up”
“People are now taking risks to help each other. Regardless of what other disputes there are. We cannot say the same about our administration. Not only should she bear the shame, she should also be fired and locked up,” said an angry young man during the demonstration.
Promised compensation
The mayor and governor of the Orenburg region, Denis Pasler, eventually met for talks with a delegation of outraged citizens demanding compensation. According to the state agency TASS, the governor promised residents who had to leave their homes due to the flooding compensation of 10,000 rubles (about 100 euros) per month for a total of six months.
The anger in Orsk was mixed with mockery for Russian Civil Defense Minister Alexander Kurenkov: he drove a flashy flood boat through the flooded streets to get a sense of the situation, while residents had to help themselves with kayaks and rubber boats.
The Ministry of Civil Protection said the peak of the flood has now passed Orsk and will be in the region around the regional capital Orenburg next Wednesday. According to the Orenburg city council, the water reached a level of 8.93 meters on Monday morning – a level of 9.30 meters is considered critical. The mayor said the situation would only get worse in the next two days.
Register floods
As Deputy Minister of Civil Defense Viktor Yazutsenko said, this is a record flood. Such a high water level has never been measured in the Urals before. President Vladimir Putin ordered the formation of a special government commission to deal with the consequences of the flood.
Man has drowned
Not only the area around Orenburg is affected. The Ministry of Civil Protection warned of a risk of flooding in Tyumen in Western Siberia. They are also preparing for evacuations there. A state of emergency was partly declared in Kurgan in southwestern Siberia because the Suer River burst its banks. A man drowned in the village of Sekisowo after trying to cross the river via a footbridge despite a ban, local authorities said. The man was drunk.
The region’s governor called on all residents of villages near the Tobol River to seek safety. “Don’t wait for the water to come. It comes at night and unexpectedly becomes more and more intense, in the form of a high wave,” the politician warned on Telegram.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
