Russia's Yakutia declares flood emergency

YAKUTSK. May 20 (Interfax) - Yakutia head Aisen Nikolayev has signed an order declaring a regional flood emergency.

"Given a challenging flood situation in a number of districts in the republic, I have signed an order declaring a regional emergency from May 20," Nikolayev said on Telegram on Monday.

The order tasked the Yakutia government with restoring residential and economic facilities, accommodating daily needs of the population, and giving social and financial assistance to the affected residents.

Head of Yakutia's Namsky district administration Yury Sleptsov said on May 19 that over ten villages had been flooded in the district by the Lena River. "Thirteen localities are flooded. Second Khomsutakh, Namtsy, Sygynnakh, Krest Kytyl, Byutei-Yurdya, Partizan, Maigama, Modut, Frunze, Kobyakontsy, Kysyl Derevnya, Khatyryk and Grafsky Bereg are fully inundated," he said.

On May 13, the press service for the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry's Yakutia branch said an ice jam in the Lena River had caused flooding of over 100 homes and about 60 household plots in the Olekminsky district.

The spring flood is a major problem for the region. Last year, a flood washed out parts of regional and municipal roads and flooded several airports, homes and household plots. Several districts of Yakutia declared an emergency.