Number of flooded homes rises to 15,100 in Russia's Orenburg region by Monday morning

ORENBURG. April 15 (Interfax) - About 15,100 homes and over 23,600 household plots are flooded in the Orenburg region as of Monday morning, the regional government said on Telegram.

"As of morning on April 15, 15,068 homes and 23,643 households plots were flooded in 18 municipalities, 78 localities and 40 garden communities in the Orenburg region," the government said.

As reported, about 13,500 homes and more than 20,600 plots were flooded in 18 municipalities the day before.

The number of flooded houses has grown by approximately 1,600, while the number of flooded plots has increased by 3,000 over the past day.

In all, 18,490 homes and 36,694 household plots have been flooded in 32 municipalities since the start of the flood, the press service said.

More than 16,500 people, including over 4,600 children, have been evacuated from the flood zone. Over 1,100 people, including 251 children, are staying at 38 shelters.

Twenty-nine bridges are closed, while traffic continues on federal highways without restriction, despite a threat of overflow to three federal road sections.

The flood aftermath is being cleaned up in the east of the Orenburg region, the situation is stabilizing in the center, and the southern districts are bracing for "the big wave," the press service said.

The Orenburg region has been hit by the most severe flood in decades. The region declared an emergency on April 4. The flood was designated a federal emergency on April 7 following a decision of a government commission. The regional authorities estimated the damage at 40 billion rubles, with Orenburg and Orsk hit the most.

Currently, the flood is headed towards the Ilek district, southwest of Orenburg.