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Part of federal highway temporarily closed in Irkutsk region due to floods — authorities

According to the town administration, the water level in the Iya river has risen to 910 cm, surpassing the critical level by over two meters

MOSCOW, July 30. /TASS/. /TASS/. Part of the R-255 "Siberia" federal highway has been temporarily closed near the town of Tulun in the Irkutsk region due to floods, the town administration said on Tuesday.

"At 5:30am local time on July 30, the federal highway through the bridge over the Iya river was closed," the administration said.

The press service of the regional department of the Russian Interior Ministry reported that highway patrol officers are working on the scene. "It is possible to bypass Tulun through the Bratsky district," the press service said.

According to the town administration, the water level in the Iya river has risen to 910 cm, surpassing the critical level by over two meters.

Floods started in the Irkutsk region at the end of June after heavy rains hit the area. Dozens of settlements were affected by the floods. The town of Tulun was hit the most, since the water level in the Iya river there rose to 14 meters, twice as much as the critical level.