2 Aug 2019 10:54

Over 1,600 homes inundated in Irkutsk region after 2nd flood wave

IRKUTSK. Aug 2 (Interfax) - Over 1,600 homes have been flooded in the Irkutsk region as a result of the second flood wave, the regional branch of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

"As of 7 a.m. local time, 1,680 homes of 1,847 people, including 482 children, 2,775 subsidiary plots, four social facilities, two motor bridges, and 16 road sections remained flooded in 42 populated localities," the statement said.

Eight populated localities with a population of 1,736 have a power outage.

Forces of the Emergency Situations Ministry are drying up social facilities in Tulun, Nizhneudinsk, Baikalsk, and Chunsky districts.

According to the ministry's update, nine districts of the Irkutsk region - Nizhneudinsk, Cheremkhovo, Tulun, Shelekhov, Slyudyanka, Ziminsky, Usolsky, Zalarinsky, and Kuytun - have been flooded since July 27 following heavy precipitation and high levels of water in the Kirei, Iya, Olkha, Katarzhanka, Solzan, Kharlakhta, Oka, Toisuk, Khorka, and Kimilteika rivers and groundwater. As many as 56 populated localities, and 1,978 homes of 5,400 people, including 908 children, found themselves within the flood zone.

The first flood wave, which was even more powerful, occurred in late June.