Big water

: Locals in inflatable boats navigate flooded areas of the city looking for people who need to be evacuated

: Two men on an entryway canopy waiting to be evacuated

: Volunteers in an inflatable boat evacuating a pet cat from a flooded area of the city

: An elderly woman at a point for evacuees choosing her shoes

: Portrait of a woman at the evacuation point

: A boy climbs on a chair in his front yard as the water begins to recede

: Flooded area of the city

: A man in his garage, which has been flooded by water. The sun reflects brightly off the water

: A man looks out of the window of his house at the flooded yard.

: Rescuers arriving in a hard-to-reach and flooded area of the city.

: Flooded cemetery on the outskirts of the city

: Flooded area of the city and people floating on boats

At the beginning of April 2024, flooding began on the Ural River and its tributaries. The water level rose to 10 meters, 2 meters above the danger level. The cities of Orenburg and Orsk in the Orenburg region were the hardest hit by the floods. The area has been recognized as a disaster zone. A lot of people left their homes, many needed help with evacuation, city services or volunteers. Many areas of the city were flooded. Evacuees were placed in temporary shelters where they had the opportunity to stay until the water receded.