Mayor orders 'mass evacuations' in Russia flood city

Moscow: Flooding in the Russian city of Orenburg became critical Friday forcing mass evacuations as the Ural river level rises, the mayor said....

Moscow: Flooding in the Russian city of Orenburg became "critical" Friday forcing "mass evacuations" as the Ural river level rises, the mayor said.

Fast-rising temperatures have melted snow and ice, and along with heavy rains have caused a number of major rivers that cross Russia and Kazakhstan to overflow.

"Sirens are sounding in the city. This is not an exercise," Orenburg Mayor Sergei Salmin said on Telegram.

"Mass evacuations are ongoing," he said. "The situation is critical, do not waste time," he said, calling on people in several city districts to evacuate.

The Ural river has flooded much of Orsk, and Orenburg -- the regional capital -- has been preparing for the peak of the rising water.