Flood damage to Amur region tentatively estimated at 3.5 bln rubles
BLAGOVESHCHENSK. Aug 5 (Interfax) - Authorities of the flood-stricken Amur region asked the federal government for financial support after the damage exceeded capabilities of the regional budget, the Amur regional government said in a statement on Monday.
"Damage done to the region by floods has been tentatively estimated at 3.5 billion rubles. A letter, which asks for providing financial support to the Amur region and declaring an emergency regime in the area, has been sent to Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. The damage estimate is not final; the commission keeps estimating losses," the statement quoted Amur Region Governor Vasily Orlov as saying.
Pouring rains began in the Amur region in July. Many rivers burst their banks, and soil is waterlogged. Hundreds of homes, over a dozen bridges, and about 300 sections of regional and municipal roads have been affected. Agriculture has suffered severe damage: more than 169,000 hectares of cropland are affected by floods and pouring rains.
According to the authorities, local companies have neither built nor repaired a single land-reclamation system in the Amur region over the past 30 years.
"A federal program compensating 65% of the cost of land-reclamation systems is in effect in the region. Besides, 5% refunds for design of land-reclamation systems and 10% refunds for their construction are under consideration; the funds may be provided by the regional budget. A number of companies have decided to join the program," the statement quoted Amur Region Agriculture Minister Oleg Turkov as saying.
The Amur Region Social Protection Ministry keeps accepting applications for compensations. As many as 448 families have received compensations totaling 5.3 million rubles from the regional budget by Monday morning, including 407 families that received 10,000-ruble compensations for losing crucial property and 41 families that received 30,000-ruble compensations for losing their only home.