In a rare display of dissent, Russians in the city of Orsk gathered in protest on Monday, demanding compensation in the aftermath of a dam collapse and subsequent flooding in the Orenburg region near the Kazakhstan border.
Protests are uncommon in Russia due to strict crackdowns on dissent following President Vladimir Putin's actions in Ukraine. Hundreds of people congregated in front of the administrative building in Orsk, chanting appeals for assistance and expressing their discontent.
The flooding, triggered by rising water levels in the Ural River, led to the evacuation of over 4,000 individuals, including 885 children, in the Orenburg region. Approximately 10,000 homes, with 7,000 in Orsk, were flooded, and the water levels continue to rise, submerging buildings and fields.
The Russian government declared a federal emergency in the flood-affected areas of Orenburg, with preparations for potential flooding in three other regions underway. The regional governor pledged compensation payments of 10,000 rubles per month for six months to those displaced by the flood.
The total damage in the region is estimated at around 21 billion rubles. Orsk, situated near the Kazakhstan border, bore the brunt of the floods that resulted from a dam breach on Friday.
A criminal investigation has been initiated to probe potential construction violations that led to the dam failure. Despite the flooding, authorities reported that the deaths of four individuals in Orsk were unrelated to the disaster.
The designation of a federal emergency underscores the broader flood risk beyond Orenburg. President Putin engaged with emergency officials to discuss measures for assisting affected individuals and potential evacuations.
Elsewhere in western Russia, a section of an overpass collapsed in Vyazma, resulting in one fatality and multiple injuries. The incident disrupted train services and gas supplies for thousands of residents.
