Emergencies Ministry Conducts 18,000 Rescue Operations In First 9 Months Of 2001

Units of the Rescue Service of the Emergencies Ministry of Russia conducted about 18,000 rescue operations in the first 9 months of 2001, during which 11,000 people were rescued, a representative of the Emergencies Ministry Press Service told RBC. The Russian national conference of high-ranking officials of the Emergencies Ministry of Russia has begun in Moscow today to review the results of work of the unified national system for prevention of emergencies and rescue operations this year. 932 emergencies occurred in Russia in the first 9 months of 2001, in which 1,024 people were killed. The total number of emergencies rose by 123% compared to the corresponding period of last year. It was pointed out that the number of man-caused emergencies was up 14%, and the corresponding figure for biological and bio-social emergencies was 9%. The largest numbers of emergencies were registered in the Far Eastern, Northwestern, Central and Southern Districts of the country. The number of terrorist acts more than tripled. 42 people were killed in acts of terrorism, and 382 people sustained injuries.