Yakutia Getting Ready To Cope With Ice Blockage

Four teams from the Sakha-Yakutia republic's emergency situations ministry are to cope with projected floods along local rivers. These teams have already moved into position.

A team headed by the republican government's minister Valery Sukhoborov started working in the city of Lensk April 18, reports the republican emergency situations ministry. This team comprises officials from the Yakut prosecutor's office.

Lensk, which suffered grievously from a spring-time flood in 2001, will host a headquarters exercise aiming to check the readiness of all concerned agencies to deal with natural calamities.

Three other teams are also checking their ability to eliminate ice blockage, to deal with possible spring-time floods and to ensure the unimpeded flow of flood waters along the Aldan, Amga and Lena rivers. All rescue-worker teams boast enough explosives for destroying ice floes.