It was a big snow year in the Ural Mountains in Russia. There was so much water that on April 6, 2024, a dam in Russia broke causing many people to evacuate. Because it is located in the southern region of Orenburg near Kazakhstan, many Kazakhstanis have also been displaced. The Ural River is literally behind our home and many volunteers have been busy with sandbag efforts to prevent flooding. Prior to leaving for a spur of the moment trip, we moved many items upstairs - and made sure that our favorite groceries were moved to higher locations in case of flooding. Town meetings have become the norm as we continue to listen and prepare for possible flooding. High water in Atyrau is expected in early May, but the prognosis is that the flooding shouldn't be too bad, But we'll hope for the best and keep our fingers crossed!
