Vladimir Putin visits flood-ravaged Southern Russia

On Friday Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Stavropol Territory in Southern Russia ravaged by a flood. Heavy showers that made rivers overflow caused the flood. The raging nature claimed dozens of human lives and inflicted serious damage. According to preliminary estimates, the flood caused a 500-million dollar damage.

At a briefing in the Stavropol administrative centre, the President severely criticised the local and regional authorities. According to Putin, their negligence and improvidence has aggravated the situation. The President set a mission to the Russian Prosecutor General's office to analyse the authorities' actions in the emergency and report him about the results.

Putin demanded that all participants in the briefing should meet all terms of restoration works schedule. The President said that the restoration of residential areas was the primary objective. According to Putin, the government has already allocated 1.8 bln. rubles /approximately 60 mln. dollars/ for this purpose. "The government has no spare money, but all the necessary funds will be allocated," the President stated.