STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED IN CITY IN RUSSIA'S DAGESTAN REGION DUE TO HEAVY RAINFALL

ISTANBUL, March 29 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- A state of emergency was declared Saturday in the city of Makhachkala in Dagestan, Russia due to heavy rainfall, flooding and landslides, the city said on Telegram, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported.

Emergency services have been put on high alert, response efforts are underway and assistance will be provided to affected residents, the statement said.

More than half a million customers were left without power due to the heavy rains, it said.

“The main problem hampering power supply to currently unpowered homes is widespread flooding. This primarily affects Makhachkala and Khasavyurt,” the statement said, adding that three main power supply centres in the capital were flooded.

According to the statement, a landslide threat has been issued in the town of Buynaksk and residents are being evacuated to safer areas.

“There have been landslides in the Tlyaratinsky and Tsumadinsky districts. The affected sections of roads are closed, and work is underway,” it said.

A total of 103 people have been evacuated from flooded homes, it added.

A state of high alert has also been declared across the Russia’s Dagestan region until Monday, the Dagestan press service said on Telegram.

According to an official statement, the disaster caused power supply disruptions in 22 municipal districts and one urban district.

Two spans of a railway bridge collapsed on the Khasavyurt-Kadiyurt section of the North Caucasus Railway, the statement said.

Due to flooding at Tarki train station in the village of Khushet, railway service has been temporarily suspended.

Meanwhile, a state of high alert was also declared in Russia’s Chechnya region due to heavy rains combined with strong winds, which led to power outages, damaged bridges, flooding, as well as landslides and rockfalls, state news agency Tass reported.

A storm warning remains in effect in the region through the end of Sunday, it added.

-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU