Putin orders swift response to major Dagestan floods UPDATED

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued directives to provide rapid assistance to those affected by the worst floods in a century in Dagestan.

He called for all necessary support to be given to victims and for authorities to promptly address complaints from citizens impacted by the floods, according to Russian media.

“This situation must be continuously monitored,” the president said, noting that on April 6, reports on the regional conditions were received from Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov and Dagestan head Sergey Melikov.

Putin also instructed officials to maintain oversight of sanitation in affected areas and to ensure timely medical and legal assistance for victims.

The president highlighted that due to abnormal weather, electricity supply has been disrupted in several municipalities, road infrastructure—including bridges—has suffered significant damage, and landslides and mudflows have caused closures or restrictions on certain road and railway sections.

In late March, exceptionally heavy rains and resulting landslides forced authorities in Dagestan’s capital, Makhachkala, to declare a state of emergency, with widespread power outages reported and evacuation efforts initiated as rivers overflowed and infrastructure was overwhelmed.

A breach at the Gedzhukh reservoir dam in the Derbent district caused by intense rainfall flooded thousands of homes across multiple settlements, prompting evacuation, road closures and ongoing cleanup operations.

So far, six people have died, and over 6,200 have been affected by severe weather, with a similar number of homes, private plots, and farm structures damaged.

18:19

Russian President Vladimir Putin is holding a meeting to address the situation in Dagestan following severe weather conditions.

He described the region’s weather as abnormal, noting that on March 30 alone, the area received three times its normal monthly rainfall, TASS reports.

Putin instructed authorities to provide all necessary support to those affected and to conduct a full assessment of the damage.

By Jeyhun Aghazada