Head of Krymsk district, Krymsk mayor, other officials detained for negligence - official
MOSCOW. July 22 (Interfax) - Head of Krymsk district Vasili Krutko, mayor of Krymsk Vladimir Ulanovsky and other officials have been detained in relation to the investigation of the recent flood in Krasnodar region, official spokesman for the Investigative Committee of Russia Vladimir Markin said to Interfax on Sunday.
"Head of Krymsk district Vasili Krutko, mayor of Krymsk Vladimir Ulanovsky and acting head of the department for the prevention of emergencies and civil defense of Krymsk district Viktor Zhdanov have been detained in relation to the investigation of a criminal case," a he said.
The investigation intends to file a motion for their arrest to court.
Markin said that on July 20 the head of the main department of the Investigative Committee for the North Caucasian Federal District opened a criminal case of negligence resulting in the death of more than two people.
Krutko, Ulanovsky and Zhdanov are suspects in the case. Mayor of the town of Nizhnebakansk Irina Ryabchenko is one more suspect. "All of them are members of the commission for the prevention and mitigation of emergencies and for guaranteeing fire safety," Markin said.
According to the investigation, despite receiving on July 5 and 6 storm warnings about a pending natural disaster posing an actual threat to the life and health of the population of Krymsk district the said officials failed to define the possible scope of the natural disaster, fulfill their obligation to properly inform the public about the dangers arising from a natural calamity and evacuate the population to safer places.
"The negligence of the said officials had grave consequences in the form of the death of 153 people living and staying in the town of Krymsk, Krasnodar territory," Markin said.
This resulted in the gross violation of the constitutional rights to life and health, the public and state interests protected by law, he said.
Markin added that over 400 forensic, 19 video and two hydrometeorological expert studies have been ordered in relation to the criminal case. Over 1,300 victims and witnesses have been interviewed. There have been 25 instances of the seizure of documents serving as evidence in the case.
"The investigation continues. Investigators are determined to establish all the circumstances and causes of disaster and to offer a legal evaluation of the actions and inaction of officials responsible for the grave impact of the flood," Markin said.
There was a destructive flood in Gelendzhik, Novorosiisk, Krymsk and several other towns in Krasnodar region on July 6-7 caused by heavy rainfalls. A total of 7,200 houses were flooded, 4,800 of them in Krymsk. Some 170 people died.
On July 9 Interfax was told at the Krasnodar territory administration that Krutko was dismissed while Ulanovsky kept his post. A spokesman for the administration said that it was Krutko who had been responsible for informing the population about the pending danger.