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Over 6,000 homes inundated in Russian Far East

Some 20,000 people evacuated

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

VLADIVOSTOK, August 19 (Itar-Tass) - As many as 6,018 homes have been inundated in the Amur Region, Khabarovsk Territory and Jewish Autonomous Region as a result of powerful flooding currently affecting the Russian Far East.

About 20 thousand people have been evacuated from the flooding zones, the press service of the Far Eastern Regional Emergencies Centre reported.

Earlier it has been reported that the water level in Amur River near Khabarovsk rose by 17 cm over the past 24 hours, reaching a historical maximum of 657 cm. A further rise in the water level is expected in the coming days, according to an official in the press service of Russia's EMERCOM center for Khabarovsk Territory. By August 25, the water level may reach the 700 cm mark. A flood wave will move along the Amur and reach Nikolayevsk -on-Amur by September 9.

The gravest situation is observed near Arkhangelovka Village on Tunguska River where water level may rise to ten metres. On Monday, rescuers in Khabarovsk started preparing for a possible flooding of homes and economic facilities. A technical group has been set up in the city to build provisional dikes. The riverbank consolidating operations are involving about 30 bulldozers, truck-mounted cranes, excavators, graders, nd dumper-trucks.

Volunteers in the riveraine districts of the city have joined in the dike building operations along Amurskaya channel.

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