More than 10,000 Russian homes submerged in floods, authorities say

More than 10,000 homes in Russia were flooded after a dam burst near the Kazakhstan border, according to authorities.

Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations said thousands of people have been evacuated in Orsk.

The Russian government declared the situation a federal emergency after two major rivers swelled beyond bursting point.

This week’s flooding is the worst the area has seen for decades.

A Kremlin spokesperson said president Vladimir Putin has asked the government to set up a commission to deal with the emergency and ordered the Tyumen and Kurgan governors to prepare for an “expected sharp rise in water levels”.