INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
it's completely submerged
The water just started rising suddenly, and they only managed to salvage a minimal amount of belongings
evacuated in regions spanning from the Urals and western Siberia to the Far East Khabarovsk region.While Russia regularly sees springtime
say will bring more frequent and destructive extreme weather events as it intensifies.Without the resources or political will to pursue a
week, the floods submerged almost 18,000 homes and 32,600 land plots in 210 Russian towns and cities, with the Kurgan and Orenburg regions
reported.Flood-stricken regions entered a round-the-clock state of emergency that saw both an official response and volunteer efforts."The
whole city came together to build dams out of sandbags to protect the city," Anna, a resident of Kurgan, the regional capital of the Kurgan
services worked day and night to build up the dam using gravel, soil and clay to prevent the flooding from spreading.People in many regions,
that self-built dams are illegal.Beyond the makeshift dams, many people have tried to help by rescuing stranded people and animals on
dinghies, organizing temporary shelters or providing humanitarian aid."People help each other in every possible way
Some with money, some with hands, some with goods
Authorities from Moscow visited the affected zones and supervised rescue efforts, while regional governments delivered food, water and
medications.Refused to be savedIn the Kurgan region, authorities issued warnings and launched evacuation well in advance, Anna said
They also vaccinated residents of flood-prone areas against the hepatitis A virus."All services are operating in emergency mode
However, they cannot be fully effective without your help
only realizing later that the situation was serious, Anna said.People lay sandbags in Galkinskaya Street in Kurgan as a flood prevention
Donat Sorokin / TASSIn the Orenburg region, people feared looters and scams after unknown individuals posing as members of a trusted
a local woman lambasted Orsk Mayor Vasily Kozupitsa for the lack of adequate assistance during his meeting with residents, a video
unidentified woman said.Kozupitsa pledged compensation of 100,000 rubles ($1,080) to each affected individual in Orsk.The Orenburg region
government provides 100,000 rubles to those who completely lost their property
People injured by the floods qualify for payments between 200,000 ($2,160) and 400,000 rubles ($4,300), while families of the deceased can
Donat Sorokin / TASSIn comparison, authorities in some Russian regions offer a one-time payment of 400,000 or 700,000 rubles for signing a
Orenburg region have received payments.President Vladimir Putin slammed regional leaders on Wednesday for their handling of the financial
aid for flood victims, noting that the number of people who applied for compensation in the Orenburg region was nine times higher than those
who have already received it.Orenburg region Governor Denis Pasler said this was because many people who applied lived in non-affected
areas.While Veronika acknowledged that regions likely lack the resources to adequately prepare for disasters like the Orenburg region
world, even though it might not be possible to immediately link a given disaster to climate change.More frequent natural disasters can drain
individual capacities for adaptation, both financially and psychologically
square one.Yet Veronika and Anna said climate change is not an issue that is normally discussed in their communities.In addition to taking
constantly adapt to worsening conditions as global climate change intensifies, a Russian climate expert told The Moscow Times.The expert
requested anonymity due to their affiliation with a group targeted by the Russian authorities.Currently, there is no strong public demand
for policymakers to address climate change like there is for economic, crime and nuclear safety issues, the expert said.A woman is pictured
in a dewatered household plot in Orsk
added that businesses in Russia should take preventive steps like avoiding building in flood-prone areas, which he said should also be
prohibited by the government.Future floods are likely to set new precedents of damage given that Russia currently lacks viable climate
adaptation plans, said Vladimir Slivyak, co-chairman of the environmental group Ecodefense."Adaptation plans cannot prevent disasters but
can significantly reduce their consequences
Times.However, Moscow is not interested in climate adaptation for now, Slivyak said."In a large country like Russia, adaptation is very
the [Russian] population will continue to suffer from climate change."
