Water levels rise and homes flood in Russia after a dam bursts near the Kazakhstan border [Video]

Russian officials scrambled to help homeowners displaced by floods as water levels rose in the Ural River, authorities said Wednesday.

Floods in the Orenburg region near Russia’s border with Kazakhstan sparked the evacuation of thousands of people following the collapse of a dam on Saturday. Russia’s government has declared the situation a federal emergency. Although President Vladimir Putin is frequently shown on Russian state television meeting officials and traveling across the country, the Kremlin said he is not yet planning to visit the flood-hit region.

The river’s water level in the city of Orenburg was above 10 meters (almost 33 feet) Wednesday, state news agency Ria Novosti reported, citing the regional governor. Photos shared by Russian news outlets showed roads covered in water, submerged fields and partially submerged houses.

The water was approaching high-rise buildings, Ria Novosti said, and more than 300 homes were flooded overnight, according to state news agency Tass.

People in …