Unseasonably warm weather triggered ice breakups and flooding in Russias Chelyabinsk region, located in the Ural Mountains.Rescuers evacuated 70 residents, including 20 children, in the city of Asha, around 260 kilometers (165 miles) from the Kazakh border, the Emergency Situations Ministry said.Images and videos showed rescue crews using inflatable boats to transport people and animals through flooded streets.In the village of Ostrolensky, 78 kilometers (48.5 miles) from the border, at least 36 households were impacted by rising waters.
However, local residents refused to evacuate, according to emergency authorities.Authorities said Monday that melting ice had raised water levels in at least seven rivers across the Chelyabinsk region, forcing road closures.
Later that day, officials warned that heavy rain and snow could further worsen flooding in nearby settlements.Temperatures in the southern Chelyabinsk region were forecast to reach 17 degrees Celsius (63 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday.Like much of the world, Russia has faced increasing extreme weather events in recent years, including severe floods and wildfires.
Scientists warn that human-driven climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of such disasters.