Russia: Protests Over Compensation Break Out in Flood-Hit City of Orsk

Moscow: Russians in city of Orsk gared in a rare protest Monday, calling for compensation following collapse of a dam and subsequent flooding in Orenburg region near border with Kazakhstan. Protests are an unusual sight in Russia where authorities have consistently cracked down on any form of dissent following President Vlimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

Hundreds of people gared in front of ministrative building in Orsk Monday, Russian state news agency Tass said, while videos shared on Russian social media channels showed people chanting “Putin, help us,” and “shame.”

floods, caused by rising water levels in Ural River, forced over 4,000 people, including 885 children, to evacuate in Orenburg region, regional government said Sunday.

Tass said Monday that around 10,000 homes, including some 7,000 in Orsk, were flooded in region and that floodwaters in city are continuing to rise. Footage from Orsk and Orenburg showed water partially submerging buildings, including homes, as well as nearby fields.

Russia’s government declared situation in flood-hit areas of Orenburg a federal emergency on Sunday, with preparations for possible flooding underway in three or regions, state media reported.

Following protest, Tass reported that governor of Orenburg region, Denis Pasler, promised compensation payments of 10,000 rubles a month (approximately $108) for six months to people forced out of ir homes by flood.

total damage from flood in region is estimated at about 21 billion rubles ($227 million), regional government said Sunday.

Water levels continue to rise 

Orsk, less than 20 kilometers (less than 13 miles) north of border with Kazakhstan, suffered brunt of floods that caused a dam to break on Friday, according to Orsk Mayor Vasily Kozupitsa.

A criminal probe has been launched to investigate suspected construction violations that may have caused dam to break. Local authorities said dam could withstand water levels up to 5.5 meters (nearly 18 feet).

On Saturday morning, water level reached about 9.3 meters (30.51 feet) and rising, Kozupitsa said. On Sunday, level in Orsk reached 9.7 meters (31.82 feet), according to Russia’s water level information site AllRivers.

Authorities in Orsk reported that four people h died, but said ir deaths were unrelated to flooding.

designation of situation as a federal emergency reflects risk of flooding beyond Orenburg region.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Sunday that Russian President Vlimir Putin h spoken with he of Ministry of Emergency Situations, as well as hes of Kurgan and Tyumen regions, located in Ural Mountains area, to discuss situation and “ need ... for early option of measures to assist people and ir possible evacuation.”

Ural River, about 2,428 kilometers (1,509 miles) long, flows from sourn section of Ural Mountains into north end of Caspian Sea, through Russia and Kazakhstan.

Meanwhile in Smolensk region in western Russia, part of an overpass collapsed in town of Vyazma, 233 kilometers (144 miles) west of Moscow, killing one person and injuring several ors, Tass said.

overpass fell onto railway tracks, halting trains along line towards Belarus and cutting almost 9,000 people off from gas supplies, Tass said, ding that local officials have opened a criminal investigation.