Roughly half of the country's 83 regions have put a system in place that will warn their residents ahead of emergency situations.
So far the system is only fully operational in 39 regions, while 40 regions said they were almost ready, the Emergency Situations Ministry said Wednesday. Four regions told the ministry they were not prepared at all.
The new disaster alert system was ordered by a presidential decree issued in the wake of fatal flooding in the south of the country in 2012.
Most of the Krasnodar region's residents were sleeping in their homes when flash floods swept through the city of Krymsk and surrounding areas in July 2012. Many of the flood's victims — mainly elderly residents — would have survived had they received a warning 10 to 15 minutes earlier, experts say.
Regional emergency officials, who had at least three hours advance knowledge of the flood, say they broadcast flood warnings on local television channels, but investigators said that only several dozen of Krymsk's residents were informed about the impending disaster, which killed 170 people.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
