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Flags will be flying at half-mast throughout the Russian Federation and at Russia’s missions abroad.
All entertainment programmes have also been cancelled.
According to the latest reports, 171 people have died in the Kuban flood.
Tragically, as the country was coming to grips with the tragedy, a bus filled with Russian pilgrims from the Pskov Region overturned at full speed on a highway in Ukraine’s Chernigov Region this Saturday. 14 people died in the road accident, while 29 others got injured.
Army joins Krasnodar rescue, clean-up
The Russian army has deployed over 600 men and 150 pieces of equipment to support the rescue and clean-up operations in theflood-stricken Krasnodar Region. In Krymsk, the worst hit town in the area, the army has pitched a tented accommodation centre.
Twice a day, the city of Krasnodar is sending aid convoys to Krymsk, Gelendzhik and Novorossiysk.
In the meantime, Russia is observing a national day of mourning for the over 170 people who died in the Krasnodar floods. Officials have estimated the total affected population at 34,600. Over 5,000 houses in the disaster area remain partially or completely flooded.
The Krasnodar authorities have started paying out help money. Each damaged household is to receive 10,000 roubles per member.
Aid pours in for flood victims
The residents of big cities in Russia, with the support of the local authorities, have set up humanitarian aid distribution points for all those who were injured in the severe flooding in the south of Russia. There are more than 10 of them in Moscow alone. President Putin has held a conference in the Kremlin on the situation in the Kuban Region.
Aid is coming from all parts of Russia. One of the humanitarian aid distribution points is situated in the centre of Moscow. Now it is heaped up with clothes, foodstuffs, medicines, and personal products. The people there need all kinds of goods, one of the volunteers and an aide to the chairman of the youth council under the Prefect of the Central Administrative District, Alexander Danilov says.
"If you enter the room, you’ll see many things there. There is an unending flow of people going to the humanitarian aid distribution point. 4 trucks have already driven off, and another two are going. There are too many things in the room, and it is very difficult to find a place for the new ones."
People sending their things to the Kuban Region say that they could not behave in a different way.
"Such a thing may happen to anyone. I understand everything. That is why I’m doing what is possible to do in a given situation. And that’s all," one woman said.
"No explanations are necessary here. Simply people need help because they have lost everything," another woman said.
"And I was guided by compassion. This goes without saying," another person said.
Among those who go to the humanitarian aid distribution points are whole families, old people, businessmen, and children. Passers-by in the streets help with loading. All those who bring things usually ask when and where they will go, Deputy Head of the Meshchansky District Council for Social Issues Nadezhda Yarkhanova says.
"Many of those who bring packed things want them to go to a specific family. Therefore, they enclose notes inside with a request to come into contact with them. There are people who bring money, and we do not receive money. Only things."
July 9th has been declared the day of mourning in Russia for the victims in the devastating flood and in the bus crash in Ukraine. The flags have been lowered on state buildings, and the TV channels and radio stations have cancelled entertainment programmes for the day. The conference in the Kremlin on the situation in the Kuban Region began with a minute of silence. President Putin demanded a detailed account from the participants about the work of relevant services during the flood that has killed more than 170 people. More than 34,600 people were hurt as a result of this tragedy.
Putin urges probe into Krasnodar Region emergency alerting system
Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for a careful investigation into the way the staff-members of the Krasnodar Region emergencies service had actually warned the population of the impending danger.
According to Russia’s Investigative Committee, the population had not been properly alerted to the danger that was looming large.
Russia mourns floods and crash victims
Russia is observing a day of mourning for the victims of the recent flash floods in the southern Krasnodar Region and a bus crash in Ukraine on Saturday.
The death toll from the flash floods that swept the Krasnodar Regionover the weekend continues to increase. According to recent reports, 171 people were killed and more than 34,600 were affected by the floods. The first funerals of those killed took place on Sunday and more are being held today.
Several cities of Kuban, including Gelendzhik, Novorossiisk, and particularly Krymsk, were literally swamped with water following three months’ average rain that fell in the course of just three hours. Mudslides coming from altitudes of up to six meters smashed houses and cars and uprooted trees.
The floods destroyed about 5,000 homes and left more than 3,000 local residents homeless. President Vladimir Putin who arrived in the region on Saturday held a conference with local officials ordering them to provide new accommodation for those who had lost their homes as a result of the floods.
Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry is providing help for disaster-struck areas. Yuri Brazhnikov of the Ministry’s international relations department met with a Voice of Russia correspondent.
"Three emergency planes have delivered all equipment needed for providing medical and psychological help to those affected. Rescue teams are working in devastated areas searching through the rubble of collapsed buildings for survivors. They are doing their utmost to help."
The families of those killed in the floods will receive 1 million rubles from the federal budget and 1 million rubles from the regional budget as compensation. One million rubles is equivalent to $70,000. Those who lost their property will receive 10,000 rubles, or over $300, from the regional budget. Volunteers and members of various political parties and public movements have launched a fund-raising campaign to help people who suffered in the floods.
Heavy rain is cited as the main cause of the floods. The investigation has dismissed reports that the flooding was caused by local authorities releasing water from the local reservoir. No emergency water discharges are permitted on the dam and no overflows of water through the dam occurred, the investigators say.
The other tragedy took place on July 7th as a bus with Russian pilgrims travelling from the Pskov Region to the Pochayiv Lavra monastery crashed on its way to the monastery in Western Ukraine. 14 people were killed and 29 others were injured. Those injured have been taken to hospitals in Moscow and Pskov. All the expenses will be covered by the Pskov administration. The families of those killed in the crash will receive 600,000 rubles, or about $20,000, from the local budget. Those who suffered injuries will receive 200,000 rubles, or over $6,000. President Vladimir Putin has instructed the federal authorities to pay the families of those killed 1 million rubles, or more than $30,000, from the federal budget.
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia will hold a memorial service for those killed in the two tragedies at the Cathedral of Christ Our Savior on Monday. Memorial services will also take place in churches throughout the Krasnodar and Pskov Regions and in other regions of Russia.
Floods in Krasnodar region (Photo)
Emergencies Ministry flies aid to Krasnodar Region
Another three aircraft of the Russian Emergencies Ministry landed at Krasnodar airport, in the south of Russia, earlier today.
The aftermath of a powerful flood is currently being done away with in the region.
Three cargo planes with rescue workers, rescue equipment and humanitarian aid arrived there at the weekend.
On Friday night, a powerful inundation in the wake of rain showers flooded some 5,000 residential homes in the cities of Krymsk, Gelendzhik and Novorossiysk, as well as a number of settlements in the Krasnodar Region.
The Emergencies Ministry teams have rescued more than 870 people and evacuated almost 3,000 others. Many have been rushed to hospitals. According to the latest reports, a total of 26,500 people have suffered in the floods.
Power, gas and water supply systems, as well as road and railway services have been disrupted.
Krasnodar region devastating floods
Residents of Krymsk, the city most severely devastated by floods that swept southern Russia’s Krasnodar Territory, will get new homes in 3-4 months, Governor Alexander Tkachov said on Sunday. Intense flooding in the Black Sea region of southern Russia killed over 170 people after torrential rains began on Friday dropping more than 30 centimeters of water.
Residents of flood-hit region to get new homes in 4 months
Rain forced many to scramble out of their beds for refuge in trees and on roofs, officials said Saturday. The emergencies ministry said the disaster affected over 20,000 people; of them 320 sought medical assistance, 104 people have been hospitalized. On Sunday, 7 alleged looters were detained in Krymsk.
New flood alerts were issued by local meteorologists on Sunday.
“If your household has been completely destroyed by rains and floods the administration of the territory undertakes the commitment to build a new home for you in 3-4 months, before the beginning of the cold period,” Tkachov said at a meeting with locals.
On Monday, the government will start paying compensations to those people whose homes have been destroyed. Each member of a family that lost its home will get 10,000 rubles ($304).
Starting Monday, more than 2,500 volunteers and 100 vehicles will join rescue works in the region, deputy governor Dzhambulat Hautov said.
Krasnodar struggles with flood aftermath
The southern Russian region of Krasnodar is on renewed flood alert after the weather office issued warnings of more heavy rainfall in the area.
The flash floods that hit Krasnodar late on Friday and early on Saturday are known to have killed 171 people and seriously damaged about 5,000 houses in three towns. The authorities estimate the affected population at 12,000.
The devastation is at its worst in and around the town of Krymsk. Rail services, power, gas and piped water are all down.
Some 10,000 emergency workers have been drafted in. They are to be joined by another several hundred who are flying to Krasnodar from Moscow.
People in Moscow and dozens of other Russian cities are collecting clothing, bedding and kitchenware for Krymsk. Several banks have opened accounts for receiving donations to disaster relief funds.
Monday will be a national day of mourning for the flood victims.
The Russian government has received condolences from a number of world leaders.
Krasnodar on renewed flood alert
Flash floods which followed anomalously heavy rainfall in the western part of southern Russia’s Krasnodar Region are known to have killed over 171 people. The Emergencies Ministry has estimated the total affected population at over 15,000
The southern Russian region of Krasnodar is on renewed flood alert after the weather office issued warnings of more heavy rainfall in the area.
The flash floods that hit Krasnodar late on Friday and early on Saturday are known to have killed 171 people and seriously damaged about 5,000 houses in three towns. The authorities estimate the affected population at 13,000. The devastation is at its worst in and around the town of Krymsk. Rail services, power, gas and piped water are all down.
President Putin has declared this Monday a national day of mourning for the 171 people who died in the floods that hit the southern Russian region of Krasnodar.
On Saturday, he visited the disaster area and inspected the devastation from a helicopter.
A group of 10,000 people has been formed and several hundred of machines allocated to liquidate the consequences of a flood in the Kuban region in Russia’s south.
The flood was caused by heavy rains. According to the latest data, 171 people were killed and 12,000 lost their houses or possessions.
The majority of those who lost houses have gone to live at their relatives’ places. The rest have been granted temporary lodgings.
The cities of Krymsk, Gelenjik and Novorossiysk have been left without electricity, gas and energy supplies. The railways are also not working, and it is even impossible to drive a car.
In Moscow and other Russian cities, donations to the flood’s victims are being collected, including clothes, dishware, sleeping provisions and other essentials.
The Russian government has announced July 9 a day of mourning.
Minister rules out water release as flood cause
Russian Emergency Situations Minister Vladimir Puchkov has denied that a release of water from a water storage reservoir in the Krasnodar region could have caused the tragic flood. “We flew over the dam in a helicopter.
It is in normal condition,” he said at a meeting with residents of Krymsk on Sunday.
Flood death toll in southern Russia rises to 155
A massive rescue and cleanup operation continues in southern Russia where devastating floods left 155 people dead.
Most of the fatalities are elderly people who had neither time, nor strength to flee.
One police officer died while saving a child.
The floods caused by torrential rains affected the towns of Krymsk and Gellendzhik and the port city of Novorosiisk.
Special centers have been set up in Moscow and other cities to collect clothes, dishware, bedding and other aid for flood victims.
Bank accounts have been opened for cash donations.
President Putin has inspected the flooded area by touring it on board a helicopter.
The bodycount has climbed to 153. In the District of Krymsk alone, which has received two months worth of rainfall since Friday night, 92 people are known to have lost their lives. The authorities have declared the district a disaster area.
Prime Minister Medvedev has dispatched Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov and Regional Development Minister Oleg Govorun to Krymsk on a mission to assess the damage, draft compensation plans and find out what urgent repair work needs to be done. He has also created a high-powered commission for overseeing the reconstruction work.
The army has deployed 15 amphibious vehicles to evacuate residents from Krymsk. In the neighbouring Gelendzhik District, about a thousand emergency workers are pressing ahead with a clean-up operation. Some 900 police officers drafted in from the neighbouring regions are enforcing law and order in the disaster area. The evacuated properties are under round-the-clock guard.
Some 5,000 houses are standing partially or completely submerged.
Krasnodar Governor Alexander Tkachov has described the disaster as the area’s worst of its kind in living memory. Other people say Krasnodar has not seen floods of this magnitude for at least 70 years. Tkachov has estimated the damage from the latest floods at about a billion roubles, or $30mn.
The affected households are entitled to receiving compensation from the regional government of Krasnodar and the federal government.
In Gelendzhik, the worst is over, and the water has started to recede. Unfortunately, however, there is more rainfall in the forecasts. The mobile communications in parts of the Krasnodar Region are down.
150 people fall victim to floods in Russia’s south
The hardest hit was the town of Krymsk, one third of which – some 5 thousand houses - remains under water.
Experts have refuted media reports about the city being inundated with a 7-meter high wave as a result of "intentional discharge" of water from a nearby reservoir. According to them, in a matter of hours the region witnessed several monthly norms of precipitation. The water level in rivers rose suddenly, causing them to spill their banks, flooding populated areas. The scale of the disaster grew with lightening speed, occurring at night when people were asleep.
The flood relief effort involves thousands of rescue workers, police, volunteers and hundreds of machinery units.
Moscow starts collecting aid for Kuban flood victims
In Moscow, NGOs have initiated the opening of a collection point for humanitarian assistance to flood victims in Krasnodar region.
This was reported to Interfax on Saturday by the head of the Public Council of the Central District of the capital Vadim Kovalev.
According to him, people are welcome to donate clothing, personal hygiene items, blankets and long-term storage food products. "We are only just starting to appreciate the scale of the disaster. It is terrifying, we must help them, and we call upon all Muscovites to join the aid effort,” said Kovalev.
According to recent data, the raging elements claimed 153 lives, several thousand people have been left homeless.
Medvedev expresses condolences to flood victims in Kuban
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has expressed his condolences to the victims of floods in Kuban region. "We will do everything to help the victims," wrote the Prime Minister on his Facebook page.
Medvedev said that a special commission has been tasked with overseeing the flood relief, headed by Minister for Regional Development Oleg Govorun. Together with the head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations Vladimir Puchkov they have arrived in the stricken area to assess the scope of the disaster, decide what needs to be done to remedy the situation, and how to compensate the victims, said Medvedev.
Over 150 people died as a result of floods in Krasnodar region.
Flood victims to get compensation
The family of each flood victim in the Kuban region will receive a million rubles from the federal budget, and the same amount from the regional one. This was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin at an emergency meeting convened in the disaster zone.
According to the president’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, the compensation for lost property will amount to 150,000 rubles for each family member. Local authorities will also fund the restoration of damaged housing.
Vladimir Putin has concluded his visit to Krasnodar Territory. He was provided with all necessary information on the situation. The President made a point of visiting Krymsk, said Peskov, the city that was hardest hit by the disaster.
Putin inspects flooded area
Flash floods which followed heavy overnight rainfall in the southern Russian region of Krasnodar are now known to have killed at least 150 people.
Most of the victims are believed to have died in their sleep. The disaster has already been described as the area’s worst of its kind in 70 years.
Some 5 thousand properties in the town of Krymsk are completely flooded. They include three kindergartens, three schools and two college campuses.
A rescue operation is under way, backed by some 200 machinery units including amphibious trucks and helicopters. Moscow is sending planeloads of emergency aid cargos to the stricken area.
President Putin has made a helicopter tour of the Krymsk District. He is convening an emergency meeting in Krymsk to hear reports from officials and assess the situation.
In a related development, Russian experts have denied media reports that a sudden water discharge from a mountain reservoir was to blame for the Krymsk flooding.
RIA, TASS, Interfax
.jpg.120x70x1.jpg "Vladimir Putin")
