Over 3,000 houses remain flooded in Russia's Orsk

NIZHNY NOVGOROD. April 16 (Interfax) - Water levels in the Ural river in Orsk, in Russia's Orenburg region, continue to decrease rapidly, but more than 3,000 houses remain flooded there, the press service of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry's regional branch told journalists on Tuesday.

"The water that amassed earlier is subsiding. It has already receded from over 3,000 houses. [...] However 3,232 houses and plots remain inundated," the press service said.

One of the dam breaches through which water was pouring out was fixed near the Stary Gorod neighborhood in Orsk yesterday.

"The section [which is] ten meters wide has been filled. This has helped stabilize the situation in the flooded Sovetsky district," it said.

Engine-driven pumps and pumping stations have additionally removed more than 143,000 cubic meters of water. Emergency restoration efforts are ongoing in the city. Over 1,400 specialists and around 300 pieces of equipment are working at the scene.

The houses that remain flooded in Orsk include 74 apartment buildings, the press service for the Orenburg region's governor said. As many as 2,557 people, including 801 children, have been evacuated. A total of 636 people, among them 88 children, are staying at five temporary accommodation centers.

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.

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