Over 6,000 residents in Russia's Orenburg Oblast in the southern Ural Mountains have been evacuated to shelters following a dam burst and the flooding of over 10,000 residential buildings.

Rescuers have been working continuously in their search and evacuation of citizens from Orsk, the second-largest city in the oblast. Every 15 minutes or so, rescue rafts were delivering evacuees to safety.

Local resident Elena Shemet managed to take some of the things from her family's flooded house after she witnessed the destruction of the dam.

A few hours later, water from this breakthrough flooded the first floor of their house on Stroiteley Street.

[Dateline : Recent]

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Storyline:
Over 6,000 residents in Russia's Orenburg Oblast in the southern Ural Mountains have been evacuated to shelters following a dam burst and the flooding of over 10,000 residential buildings.

Rescuers have been working continuously in their search and evacuation of citizens from Orsk, the second largest city in the oblast. Every 15 minutes or so, rescue rafts were delivering evacuees to safety.

Local resident Elena Shemet managed to take some of the things from her family's flooded house after she personally witnessed the destruction of the dam. A few hours later, water from this breakthrough flooded the first floor of their house on Stroiteley Street. Some belongings were saved, but it is still impossible to calculate how much damage was done.

Local authorities have prepared temporary shelters for residents and encouraged residents to accompany rescuers in the evacuation. Over 6,000 people have taken the offer.

Alexander Kurenkov, head of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, visited one of the shelters and inspected the flooded area in a helicopter.

The water level in the Ural River in the vicinity of the city rose 25 cm to reach 940 cm overnight, also posing a threat to Russia's neighboring country of Kazakhstan.

Meanwhile, water levels have begun to recede in Orsk, but locals are preparing for a possible new round of downpours with forecasts predicting the possibility of more floods through April 15.

Shotlist:
Orsk, Orenburg Oblast, Russia - Recent:
1. Various of rescuers evacuating residents by rubber rafts;
2. Various of residents walking with belongings;
3. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Elena Shemet, resident:
"There has never been a flood like this. There was a flood in 2000, but the water level didn't reach here.";
4. Various of floods inundating streets;
5. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Olga Kuzenko, Orsk resident:
"This is the first time this has happened in my life. My mother told me that in 1957 they were evacuated. It used to be a club here.";
6. Various of rescuers evacuating residents by rubber rafts;
7. Rescue vehicle moving;
8. Various of flooded buildings.

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