The Minister for the Development of the Far East and Presidential Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District held a meeting on August 5 to discuss extra measures to relieve the consequences of the flood in the towns and villages in the Far East, and to prevent further emergencies.
Currently, severe flooding is still affecting the Amur Region, where 2,500 people have been evacuated from 21 villages and towns since early July.
Commenting on the situation, Viktor Ishayev said that the local authorities were aware of the critical water levels and that when it comes to flood warnings, they should not stand at the sidelines.
“Local officials must understand that it is difficult to protect residential areas from floods without building more dams and other protective structures. Khabarovsk used to be regularly affected by floods before Pionerskaya Street was built, which also serves as a protective structure. The Far East is prone to frequent floods in spring, summer and especially autumn. Therefore, there must be a flood prevention system. Perhaps it would be reasonable to relocate some towns or villages,” the Presidential Envoy said.
As was stressed at the meeting, the emergency prevention and relief system in the Far East is quite reliable. It has prevented fatalities and the loss of farm animals and reduced consequences of the floods.
Viktor Ishayev recommended using an analysis of flood seasons to compile a list of towns, villages and cities that are most prone to floods and, where the water rises to extremely high levels, to plan and hold special emergency response training for managers of local companies and local officials.
The Presidential Envoy called for a closer monitoring of the situation, especially in the areas with a high risk of flooding.
Source: Ministry for the Development of the Far East
