Natural disaster in Dagestan affects 6,200 people, says regional leader

More than 6,200 people have been impacted by recent severe weather in Dagestan, with roughly the same number of homes, private plots, and farm facilities sustaining damage, the republic’s head, Sergey Melikov, said in an interview on NTV.

He stated that 55 temporary accommodation centres have been established in the region, currently hosting over 700 people. 

“The operational situation today shows signs of improvement and is essentially stabilising,” Melikov added.

As authorities work to stabilise the situation, experts provide context for the floods, attributing them to both heavy rainfall and Dagestan’s unique terrain.

Anatoly Tsygankov, head of the Crisis Management Department at the Russian Hydrometeorological Centre, stated that the floods were caused solely by heavy rainfall.

According to Tsygankov, the region’s terrain also contributed to the flooding. Claims suggesting that the floods were linked to clearing clouds over Iran to aid U.S. satellite targeting are unfounded.

“Flooding in Dagestan is caused by one factor — heavy rainfall across the Caucasus. The consequences were most visible in Dagestan due to its terrain and the way water entered populated areas,” he explained. 

Tsygankov added that cyclones affect the Caucasus weather year-round and cannot be precisely predicted.

Cleanup efforts continue across Dagestan following heavy rainfall that caused widespread flooding in several districts at the end of March and early April. The situation remains severe in Makhachkala, Khasavyurt, and Derbent districts, where dozens of homes, vehicles, and plots have been inundated. Several bridges were washed away. 

Official data from the Ministry of Emergency Situations reported five fatalities. A local state of emergency and heightened alert have been declared in the region.

By Jeyhun Aghazada