Russia Floods

Floods are current terrorizing Russia’s civilians and infrastructure after many river banks have bursted, releasing large volumes of water onto the surrounding land. These floods have reached serious levels, rising to over 33 feet in some cities like Orenburg. So far, several thousand residents in southern Russia have been forced to leave their residences, with authorities in neighboring Kazakhstan reporting an evacuation of 97,000 civilians. The Ural River flows through Orsk city before entering Kazakhstan and eventually emptying into the Caspian Sea, eventually leading to many dams and reservoirs reaching maximum capacity. With these other concerns regarding dams and reservoirs, it is possible that more dangers may come, leading to more homes and buildings destroyed in the process.

As this crisis continues to damage the daily life of many, citizens across the most-impacted areas, especially Orsk, are protesting against the Russian government, exclaiming ““Shame! Shame!” and “Putin, help!” Other demonstrations include civilians accusing the state of “doing nothing” and criticizing the city’s mayor, Vasily Kozupitsa. These events pose additional complications for Russian government, as they need to maintain the safety and satisfaction of those they govern. However, President Putin has clearly indicated that he does not intend to visit any of the flood zones, further causing civilians to be frustrated and participate in demonstrations.

These river banks burst because of rapid melting snow and ice causing the banks to swell. This can be connected to climate change through the idea of global warming– with rising temperatures, more snow and ice melt at a faster rate, leading to rivers receiving increased volumes of water and higher water levels, putting greater pressure on river banks. This may seem far fetched, but a connection is still clear.

In response to the situation in Russia, there are many possible public policy approaches that could be taken into consideration to mitigate the current issues and prevent them from occurring in the future. First, Russia could invest in infrastructure upgrades and reinforcements to combat extreme weather events such as floods. This includes the dams, reservoirs, river banks, and sewage networks to help prevent this event from occurring again. This also includes upgrading local residential buildings, so civilians can be safe. Second, Russia could look into creating a comprehensive flood plan that would target flooding on all fronts, such as anticipating its arrival and an immediate response system. Both would be effective in mitigating the negative effects of these floods. There are many more possible public policy approaches, but these seem to be the most efficient, as although they may be costly, they have effectiveness in all areas needed.