Massive
flooding in the Krasnodar region in Russia’s south has left 150
dead and
hundreds more displaced, while the death toll continues to rise.
(Imge from
vk.com/id1598981)
At least
150 people have been killed in a devastating flood in Russia’s southern
Krasnodar region. It's the worst of its kind in nearly a century, and the death
toll continues to rise.
Up to
12,000 people have been affected by the disaster. A state of emergency has been
declared in the cities of Krymsk, Novorossiysk, and Gelendzhik. In total 139
bodies have been recovered so far in Krymsk, nine in Gelendzhik and two in
Novorossiysk.
Deputy Minister
of the Interior Aleksandr Gorovoy said that the search for bodies continued as
there are still two people unaccounted for.
Over 130
people are currently in hospital, including 14 children following the flood.
Six months'
worth of rain in two days
The flood
was part of the aftermath of a giant storm that hit Krasnodar, dropping almost
half a year’s rainfall on the region over two days.
The most
heavily affected areas are along the Russian Black Sea coast, which bore the
brunt of the deluge as it rushed out to sea.
The speed
of the flood was shocking, carrying away not only homes, but 16-ton trucks as
well. One driver said his truck was literally carried tens of meters by the
deluge. In a separate incident, a ten-year-old girl was ripped from her mother
and sister’s arms by the force of the current.
Five people
in Gelendzhik were electrocuted to death after a wire fell into the water. A
man trying to cross a puddle next to a store on Kerchenskaya Street was the
first to receive fatal injuries. Two women and another man rushed to help him,
but were also killed by the electric current. A third man later approached the
four bodies, and was himself electrocuted to death, his body carried away by
the oncoming flood waters.
Local
authorities say a large part of the casualties were pensioners unable to escape
from their homes when the floodwaters struck.
Governor of
the Krasnodar region Aleksandr Tkachyov surveyed the damage in the Gelendzhik
and Krymsky districts from a helicopter in order to estimate repairs, sending
updates on the situation via Twitter. “The scale of it is spectacular, to be
sure, and very tragic. The water came with such force that it tore up the
asphalt,” the governor wrote on Saturday, commenting on a picture of one of the
main streets in the city where the flood hit hardest.
Emergencies
Ministry rescue teams and helicopters have been dispatched to the scene in
order to join the rescue and repair efforts already underway in the region.
Over 10,000 rescue officers and 140 helicopters are currently working at the
scene.
Russia's
President Vladimir Putin as well as Emergency Minister Vladimir Puchkov and the
Minister of Regional Development Oleg Govorun have visited the affected area.
Furthermore,
Russia’s Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova arrived on Sunday in the Krasnodar
region. She is assessing the full impact of the tragedy and the situation in
the shelters housing evacuees from the flood zone.
The Russian
Investigative Committee has launched a criminal probe into the tragedy on the
grounds of negligence.
Krasnodar
regional authorities have declared July 9 a day of mourning.
Children's
summer camps evacuated
Authorities
in the Perm region of Russia dispatched their own rescue team to evacuate
dozens of children who were at local summer camps as the storms hit.
“The
children have no contact with the Ministry of Emergencies or the local
authorities in Gelendzhik. For two days now they have been without supplies and
electricity,” said Viktor Basargin, Governor of the Perm Region on Saturday. “We
have decided to take action on the issue of their evacuation.”
So far, 84
children have returned home. Some 114 more are said to be an area unaffected by
the disaster, so the supervisors of their camp decided the kids could continue
their holiday.
There is
growing concern over the tourist population in the area. The land is popular
with campers and tourists for its proximity to the Black Sea. This year alone
7,130 Russian children went camping in the surrounding territory, Russian
Vice-premier Olga Golodetz announced in the wake of the disaster.
However,
Governor Tkachyov emphasized that the all the camp grounds in the area appear
to be safe: “Practically all the campgrounds are in normal condition, nothing
is threatening the lives of the children.” The only campground that has
suffered as a result of the flooding was the “Azure Shore” campsite, which was
without power.
Tkachyov,
nevertheless supported Basargin’s decision to evacuate the children.
Photos show
the extent of the devastation caused by the flood waters, see more in
RT's photo gallery.
 |
| The worst affected town is Krymsk, with scores of fatalities. |
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.