INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
despite previously insisting there were no casualties, the investigative outlet Vyorstka reported Tuesday, citing a government report.The
flooding, among the worst in nearly a century, struck the cities of Orenburg and Orsk in April 2024 after the Ural River overflowed due to
heavy rains and melting ice.At the time, Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov and Orenburg Governor Denis Pasler denied anyone
More than 32,500 homes and nearly 52,500 household plots were flooded across 286 towns and villages, it added.Orenburg region Governor
Pasler estimated the flood damage at more than 40 billion rubles ($472.7 million).During the flooding, Orsk residents staged protests,
accusing local authorities of failing to prevent or properly respond to the disaster.Despite ordering a government commission to oversee
relief efforts, President Vladimir Putin has not visited the region in the 11 months since the floods struck the region.
