MOSCOW, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Over 13,000 people have been evacuated in Russia's Kurgan region as of Tuesday, as the western Siberian regions continue to battle rising water levels, local authorities said.

The water level in the Tobol River in Kurgan is rising rapidly, complicating the flood situation, the Ministry of Emergency Situations said Tuesday.

At 4 p.m. local time (1100 GMT), the water level in the Tobol River in Kurgan rose by 10 cm from the morning and reached 752 cm, above the 700 cm line for unfavorable conditions and approaching the 850 cm mark for dangerous conditions.

The local hydrometeorological center predicted a continued rise in water in the river until Thursday.

A total of 305 residential buildings remain flooded in six municipal districts in the region as of Tuesday morning, and 16 temporary accommodation points have been set up, according to the ministry.

"Based on forecasts for the development of the situation in the Kurgan region, additional groups of rescuers were deployed in advance to the most difficult areas," said Minister of Emergency Situations Aleksandr Kurenkov.

In the neighboring Tyumen region, rising water levels in the Ishim River will be significantly higher than previously expected, said Governor Alexandr Moor, adding that the likelihood of a dam failure is growing.

The region on Tuesday announced emergency evacuation in the cities of Ishim and Kazan as well as multiple towns and villages, in connection with the updated flood forecast.

Russian regions have been facing some of the worst flooding in decades due to a continuous rise in daily average temperatures, snowmelt, and rivers thawing. Floods have been ravaging Russia's western Siberia, the Volga region and the Central Federal District. Enditem

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