In a grim manifestation of the climate crisis, southwestern Siberia finds itself grappling with severe flooding, exacerbated by a partial dam collapse in the city of Tomsk.
Mayor Dmitry Makhinya, in a video shared on social media, revealed the extensive damage caused by the swelling Tom River, urging residents to prioritize safety over spectacle.
Spring flooding, a recurrent occurrence in certain Russian regions due to melting ice, has taken a catastrophic turn this year. Unprecedented heavy rainfall, coupled with abnormally warm weather, has plunged Russia’s Urals and western Siberia into a state of emergency.
As of Monday, the deluge has inundated approximately 15,600 homes and 28,000 land plots in 193 towns and cities across 33 regions, as reported by state-run media.
The Tom River, stretching 827 kilometers, looms ominously with the potential to crest at a perilous height of 8.9 meters between Monday and Wednesday, according to the Tomsk regional government.
Urgent measures, including ice blasting, have been undertaken over the weekend to mitigate the risk of flooding caused by ice jams.
Mayor Makhinya voiced stern criticism towards residents who flocked to the city’s damaged embankment to witness the annual ice drift. “Think about your safety,” he implored on the Russian social network VKontakte. “Disaster is not entertainment!”
Meanwhile, in the Kurgan region near Kazakhstan, nearly 13,000 individuals have been evacuated as authorities brace for an impending deluge.
Governor Vadim Shumkov expressed grave concern over the massive volume of water hurtling towards the region’s capital city. The Kremlin echoed these sentiments, indicating that floodwater levels are expected to surge in the Kurgan and neighboring Tyumen regions by mid-week.
Russian Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov has descended upon the city of Orsk, ground zero for flooding in the Orenburg region.
Here, water levels peaked over the weekend and are anticipated to recede in the coming days, providing some respite to beleaguered residents.
As the climate crisis continues to wreak havoc worldwide, the devastating consequences of extreme weather events serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for concerted global action.
This article was created using automation and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members