Putin orders thorough assessment of warning system, services' performance in flooded zone
MOSCOW. July 9 (Interfax) - President Vladimir Putin has demanded that an objective investigation be conducted into how the system of warning citizens about the coming natural disaster was organized in southern Russia and how efficient the local services were.
"A thorough inquiry must be conducted into how efficient the local services were, not only how the warning system worked, and an assessment must be made of what has been done already and what must be done should a similar situation occur in other regions," Putin said in the Kremlin on Monday.
Responding to Investigative Committee Deputy Head Yelena Leonenko's remark that, "not all services worked properly," Putin said, "All this must be carefully, thoroughly and absolutely objectively checked, remembering that the fates of many people may be involved," he said.
Putin instructed the regional, interior and emergency situations ministers, and other services "to establish how many homes have been destroyed."
"A quick assessment should be made of how much funding will be needed to build new homes and construction sites must be allotted," Putin said.
"All people who have found themselves in a very dramatic situation must be given aid. People have lost virtually all," he said.
A tragic accident involving Russian citizens occurred in Ukraine on the same day, Putin said. "This tragedy must not be relegated. One must assess what should be done and the Finance Ministry must respond," he said, adding that a report on the work done must be provided by the end of the week.