Two residents of a small rural town in the Siberian region of Irkutsk were killed in a flash flood after they refused to leave their family’s home, authorities said on Friday.

Torrential rains in the region have caused several tributaries of the Angara river to overflow, resulting in severe flooding.

Thousands of residents have had to be rescued from their inundated houses.

In the town of Yevdokimova, ‘local authorities went door to door, asking residents to leave their homes,’ the regional administration said, emphasizing the importance of heeding such a warning.

‘One family refused to evacuate. As a result, the unfortunate incident occurred,’ the statement said, referring to the two deaths.

Authorities have been providing food, fresh water and shelter to local residents amid the emergency situation. (NAN)