Siberia floods bring more upheaval

The outskirts of the regional capital of Yakutsk was badly flooded last week

MOSCOW, Russia -- More than 2,000 people have been evacuated from southern Siberia after a fresh wave of flooding, according to officials.

A spokesman for Russia's Emergencies Ministry told Reuters that rapidly melting snow and ice had seen the river Ob flood more than 500 homes in the city of Barnaul, near the Mongolian border, driving 2,497 people out.

"The water level is 6.25 metres (20 ft 6 in) and the critical level is 5.2 metres. The water level has risen but we have the situation under control," he said.

The Ob is one of Russia's major rivers, flowing 3,600 kilometres (2,268 miles) from the Altai Mountains in western Siberia and in summer is an important trade route.

After one of the coldest winters on record, the surge of water from thawed snow forcing rivers to break their banks has claimed several lives and forced 17,000 people across Siberia from their homes.

Earlier in the month, warplanes and helicopter gunships were called in to blast apart ice floes in northern Siberia, which had trapped the water blocking the region's rivers.

President Vladimir Putin has visited towns flooded by the river Lena and pledged reconstruction work as soon as possible.

The ministry spokesman said 6,625 people there were still living in accommodation centres or tent camps set up to house evacuees.