Locals protest as Russian regions face worst flooding for decades
- Russians stage rare protest after dam bursts and homes flood near the Kazakh border
- Cities in flood impacted region are bracing for a surge in water levels in coming days
Russia warned of “unprecedented” flooding in coming days as locals in a city partially submerged by rising waters took to the streets in rare protest at the authorities’ handling of the crisis.
Fast-melting ice and torrential rain have caused major rivers – the Ural and Tobol – near the Russian border with Kazakhstan to overflow, with officials warning the floodwaters were set to rise dangerously high.
Dozens of protesters in the city of Orsk, which was submerged in metres of floodwater over the weekend after a dam burst, on Monday protested against the government’s weak response in a rare show of dissent in Russia.
Videos posted by local social media channels showed the crowds shouting, “Shame! Shame! Shame!” and “Putin, help!”
The Kremlin earlier on Monday said that the Russian president had no plans to visit the flooded areas.
