Flood mediation efforts continue in Kazakhstan and Russia
Kazakh local authorities have started blowing up artificial dams built by locals in an effort to bring down water levels in flooded areas.
While levels are falling in the city of Kulsary in western Kazakhstan, more than 3,000 houses are still flooded, according to local TV station KZ24.
To combat the flooding, local authorities started blowing up the dams that agricultural workers installed to collect water for farming and agriculture.
In other affected areas, authorities including the military have been building temporary barriers, building dikes and filling sandbags to stop the water from flooding other villages.
Orenburg struggles to control flood levels
Russian authorities said on Wednesday they are scrambling to help homeowners displaced by floods as water levels continue to rise in the Ural River.
Floods in the Orenburg region near Russia's border with Kazakhstan sparked the evacuation of thousands of people following the collapse of a dam on Saturday. Russia’s government has declared the situation a federal emergency.
Although President Vladimir Putin is frequently shown on Russian state television meeting officials and traveling across the country, the Kremlin said he is not yet planning to visit the floodhit region.
The river's water level in the city of Orenburg rose above 10 metres on Wednesday, state news agency Ria Novosti reported, citing the regional governor. Photos shared by Russian news outlets showed roads covered in water, submerged fields and partially submerged houses.
The water is threatening highrise buildings, Ria Novosti said, while more than 300 homes were flooded overnight, according to state news agency Tass.