Floods they hit cities in Russia and Kazakhstan today after Europe’s third longest river overflowed, resulting in over 100,000 people to be forced to leave their homes and parts of the Russian city of Orenburg to be submerged in water.

The deluge caused by the melting snows flooded dozens of settlements in Urals of Russia, in Siberiahim Volga and its regions Kazakhstan since the level in large rivers, such as the Urals, which flows into the Caspian, rose more than 66 centimeters from the overflow point.

Russia said 10,500 homes had been flooded in 37 districts, mostly in Orenburg Oblast.

The situation was serious in parts of the west Siberia and in some areas of it Volgaof Europe’s largest river, according to the emergency response ministry.

In his city Orenburgwith a population of 550,000 inhabitants at a distance of about 1,200 km east of Moscow, hundreds of homes were flooded and at least 7,700 people were displaced as the level in the Ural River quickly exceeded the critical level of 9.3 meters.

Residents said they are the worst flood that they can remember while Russian officials said it is the worst in the region since data began to be compiled.

Sirens and special television announcements ordered residents in flooded areas to evacuate, although some decided to remain in the attics of their homes.

Alert in Kazakhstan as well

Russian floods

In the Urals, where the Kazakhstanthe waters broke a dam in the city Orsk on Friday and 96,000 people have been displaced from their homes.

In Kazakhstan, people worked through the night to build dikes and strengthen embankments.

Pope Francis expressed his support for the flood victims in Kazakhstan. “I invite everyone to pray for those suffering the consequences of this natural disaster,” the pope said during the weekly audience today in St. Peter’s Square.

Kremlin: The worst is yet to come

Russian floods

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today that the water level continues to rise and the waters are approaching other areas as well. The forecast is not favorable, according to him, while President Vladimir Putin is constantly being informed of developments.

President Vladimir Putin spoke to Kazakhstan’s President Kashim-Jomart Tokayev about the floods yesterday, Tuesday.

The Kremlin said the worst was yet to come for Siberia’s Tyumen region and the Kurgan region in the Urals.

Sirens in Kurgan, a town on the Tobol River, warned residents to evacuate immediately.

Local authorities said they had closed several roads to vehicular traffic in order to quickly transport earth to reinforce a dam as water levels in Tobol rose by 23cm. The governor of the Kurgan region said that 4,500 people fled their homes in the province.