'The water is coming': Russians flee flooded homes

Orenburg, Russia: Alexander Budargin, 25, stood outside his block of flats in the Russian city of Orenburg with knee deep water lapping in the courtya...

Orenburg, Russia: Alexander Budargin, 25, stood outside his block of flats in the Russian city of Orenburg with knee-deep water lapping in the courtyard, wondering whether it was time to leave.

In this city in the southern Urals about a hundred kilometres from the border with Kazakhstan, Budargin was one of many residents watching anxiously as water levels in the Ural River continued to rise inexorably.

This is one of several major rivers flowing through Russia and Kazakhstan that have breached their banks this month, causing widespread flooding.

Thousands have had to flee their homes and further evacuations are continuing, carried out by rescue services and police.

"The situation is difficult right now. My parents' house was almost completely flooded yesterday," said Budargin, who works in logistics.