Severe flooding in Russia’s Kurgan region has inundated areas surrounding the Dobrovolnoye uranium deposit, leading to potential radioactive and chemical pollution in the Tobol River. This event was reported on April 17, 2024, by the investigative news outlet Agentstvo, citing local authorities and environmentalists.
Catastrophic floods have submerged large areas of south-western Russia and north-western Kazakhstan since April 3, 2024. To date, floods have affected 15 641 homes and 27 993 garden plots in Russia, prompting widespread evacuations and the declaration of state emergencies in affected areas. Nearly 111 200 people were evacuated in Kazakhstan and approximately 5 500 homes were flooded.
Severe flooding struck Russia’s Ural Mountains and Siberia, alongside parts of neighboring Kazakhstan since April 3, 2024, caused by rapid snow melt and heavy rainfall. The situation worsened after two dams broke near Orsk City on April 5, leading to record flood levels by April 7. The crisis has resulted in at least three deaths in Russia and more than 10 500 homes flooded. In Kazakhstan, two fatalities and nearly 75 000 displacements have been reported.
Eastern Europe is still grappling with the aftermath of Storm Bettina, a severe snowstorm that rapidly intensified over the Black Sea and impacted the region on November 26 and 27, 2023. Ukraine has reported significant casualties, with at least five deaths and 19 injuries in the Odesa region. The storm has not only disrupted life in Ukraine but also inflicted damage and caused fatalities in neighboring countries such as Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Russia.
The Russian capital of Moscow is facing an extraordinary ‘black blizzard’, a weather pattern typically seen in the Far North. This phenomenon, which started overnight, has resulted in heavy snowfall and reduced visibility to approximately 100 m (328 feet), with the situation expected to persist until Tuesday, November 28, 2023.
Hurricane-force winds reaching speeds of 144 km/h (90 mph) and a significant tidal surge caused by a powerful Mediterranean cyclone named Storm Bettina have devastated parts of the Crimean Peninsula, particularly impacting Sevastopol and surrounding districts on November 25 and 26, 2023. The storm has led to widespread power outages, affecting nearly 500 000 residents, and causing considerable flooding and property damage. Bettina’s center moved over land early November 27 and is heading northward.
Significant activity was reported at Klyuchevskoy volcano in Kamchatka, Russia, on October 31, 2023. The Aviation Color Code was raised to Red at 02:34 UTC, and satellite data indicated an ash column reaching up to 14 km (46 000 feet) above sea level at 23:10 UTC.
Activity at Klyuchevskoy volcano in Kamchatka, Russia increased significantly on October 31, 2023, prompting KVERT to raise the Aviation Color Code from Orange to Red. The ash column reached up to 9.8 km (32 152 feet) above sea level and extended for 365 km (226 miles) to the SSE of the volcano.
An explosive-effusive eruption continues at the Klyuchevskoi volcano in Kamchatka, Russia, on October 29, 2023, with ash clouds reaching a height of 10 km (33 000 feet) above sea level. The Aviation Color Code remains at Orange.
After several days of increased activity, a strong eruption took place at Russia’s Bezymianny volcano at around 04:30 UTC on October 18, 2023. As a result, the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) increased the Aviation Color Code from Orange to Red.
