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Emergencies Ministry forecasts low chance for flood-caused emergencies in Moscow region

As many as 44 points of temporary accommodation in 30 municipalities are prepared in case of the population evacuation

MOSCOW, March 26 (Itar-Tass) – A representative of the Russian Emergencies Ministry has ruled out the possibility of flood-caused emergencies in the Moscow region even in the conditions of thick snow cover.

“Most probably, there are no reasons for concerns in the region. Think snow covers near houses in the Moscow region now cannot mean that residents of the region will be drowned in the period of high water,” Director of the Ministry’s Civil Defence Department Sergei Didenko told a news conference on Wednesday, adding that teams of people and machinery units are ready for ice blasting activities in the region. In his words, they are ready for possible changes of the situation.

In the mean time, First Deputy Governor Yuri Oleinikov said during Tuesday’s teleconference with the heads of municipalities in the Moscow Region’s Government House, stated that More than 6,000 people in 90 residential areas of the Moscow region may suffer from the upcoming spring-flood period.

He confirmed a high probability of inundation of a great part of the Moscow region territories. “In particular, up to 90 residential areas with the total population of more than 6,000 people may be flooded this spring. The total area of inundation may be at 275 square kilometres,” Oleinikov said, adding that the most complicated situation is forecasted for the Lukhovitsy, Ozery, Stupino, Serpukhov, Kolomna and Kashira districts.

As many as 44 points of temporary accommodation in 30 municipalities are prepared in case of the population evacuation, First Deputy Chairman of the Russian Emergencies Ministry’s Main Department for the Moscow region Sergei Poletykin said, adding that the warning system is operating at transport.

In his words, more than 14,000 people and 2,500 units of machinery, including up to 500 floating crafts and six aircrafts, will be involved in the prevention of the floods and possible consequences of high water.

Now, 18 hydrological posts were set up in the region to monitor the water level at the rivers, lakes and water reservoirs of the region.

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