State of Emergency Declared in Parts of Sverdlovsk Region Over Severe Storms and Flooding

July 14, 2026 First responders bring people to safety after severe flooding in the Sverdlovsk region. Russian Emergency Situations Ministry Severe flooding across several communities in the Sverdlovsk region has prompted local authorities to declare a state of emergency after heavy rains caused widespread power outages, submerged roads and forced some residents to evacuate. The latest wave of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms struck the Ural Mountains region last Friday, knocking out electricity for more than 10,000 people across 25 towns and villages. Governor Denis Pasler said that swelling river levels are flooding highways and have washed out or damaged multiple bridges. Regional traffic police reported that nearly 100 road sections have been submerged, a stark contrast to the roughly 10 sections they said are typically affected during the annual spring flooding season. Road access was cut off to at least 27 towns and settlements, authorities said. Videos shared by local news outlets showed emergency responders evacuating residents from flooded areas using tractor buckets. The regional branch of Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry said six municipal districts that collectively account for roughly 40% of the region’s population had declared a state of emergency as of Tuesday. A seventh municipality, the Irbitsky district, has been under a state of emergency since the weekend, with the town of Irbit issuing its own local declaration on Tuesday after Russia’s national weather service warned that a nearby river would rise to dangerous levels. “The precipitation is gradually receding, but flooding in certain populated areas and infrastructure sites continues,” Governor Pasler said Monday. Read more about: Sverdlovsk , Regions , Weather Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Rare Tornado Hits City in Russia’s Ural Mountains Dozens of homes were completely leveled and at least 16 people were injured, local officials said. 1 Min read Southern Russian Heat Wave Knocks Out Power for Over 500K People Temperatures have soared to nearly 40 degrees Celsius in some regions of southern Russia. 1 Min read Flooding Emergency Declared in Far East Russia’s Sakha Nearly 450 homes and more than 550 land plots have been flooded since the Lena River started overflowing last week. 1 Min read Powerful Dust Storm Rips Through Siberia’s Irkutsk Videos posted online showed strong winds and dust engulfing city streets and residential courtyards. 1 Min read