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People evacuated across Yakutia amid floods
The Magan road, 8 km.
Aftermath of the Matta river's
overflow. More pics at SakhaNews.ru |
A storm warning was issued on Monday in the city of Yakutsk, where the drifting of ice and a sharp rise in the water level of the Lena River is registered.
Several streets have already been partially flooded in Yakutsk. Sixty-nine people, including 16 children have been evacuated. Evacuation will continue round-the-clock. Brigades of specialists are fortifying the dam.
Specialists forecast that by 8 pm, local time (2 pm, Moscow time) water level will rise to the mark of 790-830 centimetres and the river will overflow its banks. Critical marks are expected to be exceeded on Monday by up to half-a-meter.
Earlier reports said 220 houses remained in the zone of partial flooding in the settlement of Makhra outside Yakutsk, but water is gradually subsiding.
According to Yakutia’s chief department of the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations, an intensive thawing of snow has drastically raised the water level in the Matta water reservoir. As a result, the Matta River overflew its banks and partially flooded 85 houses. A total of 277 people were evacuated.
All in all, over 750 people have been evacuated from flooded areas in Yakutia. Local authorities and rescuers supply foodstuffs to local residents who have refused to leave their houses.
Over 900 people are fighting with floods in the region.
// May 14, 2007
Resource: ITAR-TASS |
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