At least four people have died in renewed flooding in Daghestan over the weekend, as heavy rains, the possible overflow of a dam, and a building collapse in Makhachkala have deepened a regional emergency already affecting thousands of households.
The most severe flooding has been reported in south Daghestan.
In Mamedkala, in the Derbent district, floodwaters swept away vehicles, killing at least two people.
Daghestan’s Emergency Minister Nariman Kazimagomedov confirmed that ten people were travelling in vehicles when water washed away one of the cars on a bridge. Six were rescued, but two were found dead and two remain missing. Two victims were pulled out of the water and taken to hospital, where they died. Investigators have opened a criminal case for these deaths, citing ‘death by negligence’. Sapa Kavkaz reported that two missing persons identified as a young girl and her grandmother were found dead by 6 April.
In Derbent, authorities have evacuated around 4,000 people after warnings that the Gedzukh reservoir was overflowing with water.
In Makhachkala, a three-storey residential building collapsed after heavy rains caused flooding, which in turn eroded the earth below the building. Residents of neighbouring buildings were evacuated, and officials said that three more apartment blocks were at risk as the ground continued to give away. There were no reports of casualties in the collapse.
Russian state-run media outlet Interfax reported more than 2,000 residential buildings were flooded as of 5 April and more than 4,000 people were evacuated from affected areas.
After the first flood at the end of March, water levels on some streets and inside houses reached up to 1.5 metres. Rescue services in Daghestan reported at that time that 760 residential houses and 950 adjoining territories were flooded as a result of the disaster. A total of 3,338 people have been evacuated from danger zones, including more than 1,000 children.
On 3 April, Magomedzagid Kikhasurov, Daghestan’s Labour Minister, reported that more than 43,000 applications for emergency assistance were submitted by people affected by the first flooding. However, around 24,000 applications did not include addresses, preventing officials from processing them.
In Karabudakh district, more than 30 residents sought medical help after the first flood with symptoms of suspected waterborne poisoning. Daghestan’s Health Ministry said that 21 people, including 14 children, were hospitalised with intestinal infections between 2 and 4 April, while the Federal Consumer Protection and Welfare Service later said the total number of hospitalised patients had risen to 25.
Authorities have also announced emergency Hepatitis A vaccinations in flood-stricken areas, while drinking water has been delivered from neighbouring Ingushetia.
After the first flooding the attention regarding Daghestan’s drainage system infrastructure and its management, especially in Makhachkala, where two officials from the city’s housing and utilities department have been arrested on suspicion of embezzling funds allocated for storm drain repairs. Investigators say the case concerns a 2022 contract worth over ₽417 million ($5 million), under which around ₽40 million ($500,000) was allegedly paid for work that was never carried out.
According to the investigators, they allegedly submitted payment documents to the Federal Treasury containing falsified information about the volume of work completed, on the basis of which the payments were authorised. A construction and technical examination concluded that some of the work that had been paid for was not in fact carried out.
A court has ordered the defendants’ pre-trial detention as a preventive measure. The rulings have not yet entered into legal force and can be appealed to the Supreme Court of the Republic of Daghestan.
Elizaveta Chukharova
