Dam collapses in Russia’s southern Urals — RT Russia and former Soviet Union

Torrential rains have caused a dam to collapse in Russia’s Chelyabinsk region, local authorities said Friday. They said the reservoir was filled to the brim due to heavy rain.

Videos posted on Telegram show powerful torrents of water pouring into the collapsed part of the dam and flooding the surrounding area. Other clips show streams covering fields and eroding dirt roads.

According to the region’s Ministry of Emergency Situations, part of a 500-meter-wide dam, which was 100 meters wide, was damaged in the incident. Emergency teams were dispatched to the scene to mitigate the consequences of the disaster, the ministry added.

Several villages were affected, with streets completely submerged and buildings damaged by the floods. However, no casualties were reported.

Local authorities have ordered the evacuation of four villages. More than 160 people, including over 20 children, have been housed in temporary shelters in the nearby city of Karabash. Others have chosen to stay with their relatives, Chelyabinsk Governor Alexei Teksler wrote on Telegram.

According to local media, the Chelyabinsk region is expected to experience 60 days of what experts are calling “mega-rains” The regional capital of Chelyabinsk, Russia’s eighth most populous city with more than 1.1 million people, is also at risk of flooding, they warned.

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