More Evacuations Ordered in Russia Amid 'Colossal' Flooding.

Russian officials continued to order the evacuation of areas in Siberia and parts of the south as massive floods sparked by heavy rains and a rapid snowmelt show few signs of letting up.

With thousands already forced from their homes, officials in the Tyumen region of western Siberia and Kurgan in the south near the border with Kazakhstan on April 16 ordered more to leave as the Ishim and Tobol rivers continue to swell.

"Pack your valuables. Leave now for a safe place, to relatives or to a temporary accommodation center," said Aleksander Moor, governor of the Tyumen region, adding that those who didn't abide by the "urgent" evacuation notice could be fined.

Emergency officials said the Ishim River had reached a "critical" level after rising above 8 meters in some parts.

In Russia's Kurgan region straddling the Tobol River near the border with Kazakhstan, the region's governor, Vadim Shumkov, warned of a "colossal" amount of water heading toward the city of Kurgan, which has already experienced power cuts and evacuations.

Shmukov said the Tobol River that runs through the region could see water levels rise to 11 meters, double the level where it breaks its banks in some places along its course.

More than 125,000 people have been evacuated from areas hit by massive floods in parts of Russia and Kazakhstan in recent weeks.

Following massive snowfalls in winter, unusually warm weather triggered the sudden melting of snow that in turn lead to the rapid swelling of rivers in what specialists say may be an effect of global climate change.

In northern Kazakhstan, where more than 111,000 people have been evacuated from flood-threatened areas since the start of this month, some residents of Petropavl, a city of around 20,000 people near the Ishim River, have started to return to badly damaged houses.

Dozens lined up on April 16 demanding compensation from government offices as they look to starting piecing their lives back together.

The first to be affected by the massive floods was the city of Orsk, followed by Orenburg, both on the Ural. Now floods have reached the Kemerovo and Tomsk regions in western Siberia.

In the Kemerovo region, the Mrassu River overflowed its banks.