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Russian authorities warn Yakutia’s Arctic areas may be flooded this spring

YAKUTSK, February 1. /TASS/. This year, the threat of flooding during the high-water season is forecasted mostly for twelve of 17 settlements in Arctic Yakutia, where now the snow layer is about two meters, the republic’s official told TASS on Wednesday.

"During the spring-summer flood season, the highest risk is for the Kolyma-Indigirka group of districts, where the winter is snowy and the snow layer is 180-200 cm high," Yuri Zaitsev said. "We monitor closely situations in those districts."

All means and preventive measures will be mobilized there, he continued. "We shall begin the preventive measures in April already, in May we shall begin blacking ice with coal, will organize sawing of ice and will conduct preventive blasts where necessary."

"As yet, in our budget we have 50 million rubles ($830,000) for that, but the districts also have reserves, and we shall also attract assets from authorities," the official continued. "The reserve fund has assets for overcoming of possible consequences. If the damage from the high water is more than 500 million rubles ($8.3 million), we shall have to attract assets from the federal sources, too."

In 2016, only three settlements were flooded in the high-water season in Yakutia.

"Last year was rather quiet and this year we should get ready very thoroughly," he said. "This is why already now we are forming working groups, which would be responsible for the regions, which may be flooded.".