Over 200 affected after dam burst in Russia

Moscow, July 27 (IANS) About 200 people have found themselves in a flood zone near Karabash in Russia's west-central region of Chelyabinsk following a dam burst at the Kialimskoye Reservoir, local authorities said.

"Water broke through the dam in the Kialim reservoir, one of the major sources of drinking water for the city of Karabash. People are being evacuated from the villages of Kialim and Mukhametovo. Around 200 people are staying in the flooded area," the Karabash municipal administration was quoted by TASS News Agency as saying on Friday.

A state of emergency has been declared in the Karabash municipal district, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the Chelyabinsk Center for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, up to 73 mm of rainfall fell in the region during the 24 hours of July 25 and the night of July 26, which amounts to 1-1.5 monthly norms in some places.

Due to the dam breach at the Kialimskoye Reservoir, one settlement has already been flooded. As a precautionary measure, evacuation efforts are currently underway in three communities.

According to meteorologists, on July 27, heavy to hefty rain, intense downpours, prolonged heavy rain, thunderstorms, and hail, possibly large, with wind up to 25 m/s are expected in parts of the Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk, and Kurgan regions.

Additionally, meteorologists predict that heavy rainfall will lead to significant increases in water levels in small rivers until July 29.

--IANS

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