State of emergency imposed in Sochi as water level rises

The authorities of the Black Sea resort of Sochi have put in place a state of emergency as water levels rose on 28 mountain rivers, as well as on channel ways in the local settlement of Mirny. Specialists are also ready for an emergency situation on other waterways of Big Sochi. In case of a danger, the citizens of local settlements will be warned through radio and television channels or through loudspeakers on police vehicles. Also special teams will make rounds of apartments, sources from the Sochi administration have told Tass. An emergency session of the city commission for emergency situations discussed the developments. Sochi Mayor Anatoly Pakhomov has issued necessary instructions in connection with possible under flooding. The Mayor’s Office says the most dangerous situation is in the Adler district, where settlements of workers building Olympic facilities are situated along the Mzymta River. Early on Wednesday workers were evacuated from the workers’ settlement situated near the eroded rock-fill embankment. In the settlement of Nizhnaya Khobza, Lazarevsky district, water level rose substantially. About 100 people found themselves in the zone of a possible under flooding. They were all warned about a possible evacuation. According to updated reports, the water level in the Khobza River is subsiding. According to EMERCOM, the possibility of rising water levels and mudslides persists in Sochi. The Sochi Rescue Centre asks local residents and tourists to exercise caution.