Russian authorities on Wednesday ordered evacuations in parts of the republic of Sakha (Yakutia) after heavy rains caused severe flooding in some of the world’s coldest inhabited areas, including the village of Oymyakon.
The Emergency Situations Ministry said water levels rose in three local rivers, flooding Oymyakon and three nearby settlements. The Oymyakon, Momsky and Tomponsky districts had been placed under a high alert on Tuesday and authorities urged residents to stay indoors.
Dmitry Sadovnikov, a senior official in the Sakha government, said the floods were impacting nearly 700 residents, including 163 children. At least 33 people were placed in temporary shelters in Oymyakon, while another 52 sought refuge with relatives.
Local media reported that some residents fled before rescue teams arrived. No deaths or injuries have been reported so far.
In the neighboring Magadan region, the Berelekh River overflowed, washing away two bridges and flooding a hospital and several homes.
Authorities said recovery efforts would begin once water levels recede. No further precipitation is forecast for the week, officials said.
Climate scientists have long warned that Russia, warming 2.5 times faster than the global average, is increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather events, including prolonged heat waves and heavy rainfall.
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