Death Toll From Siberia Floods Rises To 23

Local residents navigate the flood waters in Oktyabrsky in the Irkutsk region.

Russian officials have raised the death toll from the flooding in the southern Siberian region of Irkutsk to 23, reports say.

Emergency officials in Irkutsk were quoted as saying 23 people had been confirmed dead and that eight others remained missing on July 8.

The flooding affected 107 towns and villages in the region, inundating more than 10,000 homes and displacing about 33,000 people.

Officials said the cleanup continues as the floodwaters recede.

According to preliminary estimates, the floods have caused 29 billion rubles ($454 million) in damages.

Based on reporting by TASS, RIA Novosti, and Interfax