A huge amount of water is heading towards the Russian city of Kurgan, according to the governor of the region, Vadim Shumkov. The Tobol river and its branches have swelled so much that the water levels are double what they were during a major flood in 1994.
The floods, caused by melting snow and ice along with heavy rain, have led to tens of thousands of people being evacuated from northern Kazakhstan and nearby parts of Russia over the past two weeks.
Governor Shumkov has urged everyone in areas threatened by the flooding to leave their homes immediately. He warned that the water could rise as high as 11 meters (36 feet) above normal levels. He advised people to take their families, elderly relatives, and anyone with mobility issues to safety, along with important documents and valuables.
Kurgan, a city with over 300,000 people, is home to a military factory called Kurganmashzavod, which makes military vehicles. There’s concern that the factory could be affected by the flooding.
In the town of Ishim, further east, people have also been asked to evacuate because the river with the same name is at high levels.
Petropavl in northern Kazakhstan has also been hit hard by flooding from the Ishim river. The water levels in both the Ishim and Tobol rivers, which are part of the Ob river system, are expected to peak around April 23rd or 24th.
Last week, flooding in the Ural river basin caused extensive damage to both Russian and Kazakh territory. It’s being described as the worst flooding in the region in 80 years.
Cities like Orenburg saw houses almost completely underwater, and Orsk experienced public protests after a dam burst. Russian officials have promised compensation to affected residents.
