OCHA Situation Report No. 1
Russian Federation - Floods
18 May 2001


Floods affect the Siberian region of Irkutsk and the Far East Region of
Yakutia

Situation

1.  Preliminary reports indicate that vast but sparsely populated areas of
Russia (Siberia and the Far East) have been hit by flooding in the past
week.  The Siberian region of Irkutsk and the Far East region of Yakutia
were most seriously affected. More than 4,000 residential buildings
housing 29,600 people were flooded after rivers overflowed their banks.
Yakutsk, capital of the region of Yakutia, is under threat of flooding.


National response

2.  Emergency workers are bombing ice jams but the floodwaters continue to
rise.  Electricity has been cut off over much of the affected territory
for fear of short circuits, and a state of emergency has been declared in
the republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in eastern Siberia.

3.  The Minister of EMERCOM of the Russian Federation, Sergei Shoigu,
called an emergency meeting to plan counter-measures and rescue operations
in the worst hit areas.  Emergency workers and residents in Yakutsk are
building a temporary dam to reduce the threat of flooding. Government aid
is being provided to tens of thousands of people evacuated across Siberia.


International response

4.  The Government has not asked for international assistance so far.

5.  OCHA/Response Coordination Branch (RCB) is following the situation in
close contact with the UN Resident Coordinator's Office and the OCHA
Office in Moscow.

6.  This Situation Report and further information on ongoing emergencies
are also available on the OCHA Internet Website at:
http://www.reliefweb.int.


Telephone: +41-22-91712 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officers:
  Ms. Merete Johansson  Tel. +41-22-917 16.94
  Mr Stephen Tull  Tel. +41-22-917-3168
  Ms. Knarik Kamalyan  Tel. +41-22-917.16.94

Press contact:
  Mr. Donato Kiniger-Passigli, direct Tel. +41-22-91726 53


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