Orenburg Officials Seek Higher Iriklinsky Discharge
In the Orenburg region, another meeting of the interdepartmental «flood» commission was held, the regional government«s press service said. Officials are considering the worst-case scenario (don»t be alarmed: they are just considering it, not expecting a repeat of 2024).
— We must again focus on the most unfavorable scenario for its passage and carry out all preventive measures in advance. I emphasize: a responsible approach and clear interagency coordination of all organizations and departments are necessary. Strict control over flood preparation work must be organized at all levels of government, — said Governor Yevgeny Solntsev.
Since January 15, a discharge of 90 cubic meters per second has been established at the Iriklinsky reservoir, which is supposed to remain in effect until February 10. But according to preliminary data, it is recommended to ensure a free capacity of about one cubic kilometer by the start of the flood season. To achieve this, the discharge needs to be increased to 140 cubic meters per second. The Orenburg officials themselves cannot do this by magic, so an appeal has been prepared to the Federal Agency for Water Resources.
— The decision should be made in the near future and will remain in effect until the main flood forecast is received — the first ten days of March, the government reported.
Recall that the massive flood that hit the Orenburg region in 2024 became the most severe in the entire history of observations. The worst affected were Orsk and Orenburg, with over 4,500 people left homeless and another 20,000 having their property seriously damaged by water. Sixty social facilities were affected, and six children«s camps were destroyed. Victims were paid more than 20 billion rubles in compensation (around 222,222,200 USD at current exchange rates). A federal-level state of emergency was declared.
