580 People Evacuated from Flooded Areas in Southern Russia - 1 April, 2003

Up to 580 people have been evacuated from the Volgograd region (southern Russia) which has started to be flooded by small rivers. A reinforcement of fireworkers from the emergencies centre has been sent to the site.

About 400 houses are facing the threat of being flooded due to the ice-jams on the Mokraya Perekopka and Krepkaya rivers. Melt-water has already reached some 140 houses.

At present, evacuation centres have been set up in safe places, and food supplies and medical services are being provided to the locals. The main task facing all the services involved now is to liquidate ice-jams barring the floodwater, noted spokesmen for the local civil defence and emergencies situations centre.