The World Briefly
April 17, 2024Cats and Dogs
Central AsiaRussia
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Unprecedented heavy rains unleashed devastating floods across southern Russia, Central and South Asia this week, claiming dozens of lives and displacing tens of thousands, and prompting anger from residents and concerns about climate change among scientists, CBS News reported.
Lightning and torrential rains killed more than 36 people in southwestern Pakistan, wreaking havoc on farmers and communities. Authorities declared a state of emergency in several regions and ordered urgent aid to affected areas.
In neighboring Afghanistan, flash floods in Kabul and other provinces claimed 33 lives and left hundreds homeless. Taliban officials said more than 600 homes were destroyed and swaths of farmland were devastated.
Weather agencies in both nations warned that more rains are expected in the coming days.
Meanwhile, melting mountain ice caused rivers to swell up and flood Russia’s Urals region and neighboring Kazakhstan for days.
In Kazakhstan alone, more than 107,000 individuals have been displaced, with residents voicing frustration over inadequate investments in infrastructure.
At the same time, Russian regions, including Orenburg and Kurgan, faced unprecedented flooding, with thousands evacuated and homes submerged. Authorities have been trying to mitigate the crisis, yet the relentless rise of water levels poses an ongoing threat to vast areas.
Protesters in the southern Russian city of Orsk criticized local officials and called for help from President Vladimir Putin, yelling, “Shame on you,” according to a video aired by Radio Free Europe. Some of them demanded the president’s presence in the flooded regions, while others lamented about being forgotten by the Russian leader.
“Whenever misery hits another country, Putin throws all resources there, (but) we here mean nothing,” said one furious protester in Orsk, which was partially underwater after a dam built only in 2010 collapsed. An investigation has been launched.
Climate scientists attribute the flooding to human-induced climate change, which has exacerbated extreme weather events, CBS News said.
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