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Dam bursts in Russia’s Urals, forcing evacuation of about 11,000 people

According to the officials, the city has set up six temporary shelters for the evacuees

ORENBURG, April 5. /TASS/. A section of a dam in Orsk, a city in the Orenburg Region located south of the Urals, has burst, so the city’s residents are being evacuated, as more than 4,200 homes and almost 11,000 people may be affected by rising flood water, the regional government told TASS.

"A part of the city’s embankment dam has burst its banks, so evacuation of the old part of the city is underway," the press service reported.

"A protective dam collapsed in the Old City near Orenburgskaya Street. The population is being evacuated. A total of 4,258 houses and 10,987 people may find themselves in the flooded area," the city administration said.

According to the officials, the city has set up six temporary shelters for the evacuees. Bus service will be made available to anyone who is not able to evacuate on their own. According to the Emergencies Ministry’s regional branch, rescuers and municipal workers are shoring up the dam structure and grappling with the aftermath of its breach.