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Over 680,000 people will fight flood this year in Russia — minister

© Maxim Grigoryev/TASS

LIPETSK, April 21. /TASS/. Over 680,000 representatives of various ministries, departments and services have made part of the joint group of forces to fight flood in Russia this year, Russian Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov said Thursday.

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"Overall, a task force has been formed with the overall strength of over 680,000 people and more than 152,000 items of equipment to ensure a failure-free passage of flood waters within the framework of a unified state system of emergency prevention and response," Puchkov said while speaking at an away joint meeting of emergencies commissions of the Central and Northwestern federal districts.

"Aircraft work, the navy, including small-size boats, works, plus new technology, including drones," he said, adding that the composition of the group of forces and means is constantly specified.

"Where the flood situation ends, operative groups, control bodies, posts of Rosgidromet [Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring] and all other structures are regrouped in due time," Puchkov said.

He said the established task force is capable of fulfilling all set tasks.

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