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Number of people missing in Irkutsk region floods grows to 15, says emergencies minister

According to Yevgeny Zinichev, repair work continues in the flood zone

MOSCOW, July 3./TASS/. The number of people missing in the flood zone in the Irkutsk region has grown to 15, Minister of Emergency Situations Yevgeny Zinichev told a session of the Russian president with the government.

"Unfortunately, 20 people have died and 15 are missing," he said.

According to the minister, repair work continues in the flood zone. "As of today, 730 people, including 262 children, stay at 15 temporary accommodation centers," the minister said, adding that work continued to provide temporary housing in living quarters instead of schools and kindergartens, that are unfit for a long stay.

The affected people are getting financial aid, he said. A total of 8,647 people have received initial financial help of 10,000 rubles ($157), and the population in affected areas is provided with essentials, bottled water, food and medicines. Besides, work continues to reissue the lost documents. "As of today, all 227 people who requested them, have received the documents," Zinichev specified.

"As the water subsides, measures are taken to drain and clean up the territory, work to dispose of dead animals is done to prevent infectious diseases," the emergencies minister said.

Water levels are declining gradually, but people are evacuated from the settlements that may be partially flooded as a preventive measure.

Floods in the Irkutsk region started after torrential rains at the end of June. A state of emergency was declared in the flood-affected areas. According to the Emergencies Ministry, as of July 3 some 3,500 houses in 31 villages have been flooded. The city of Tulun has been the hardest hit by the flooding. More than 3,000 houses and social facilities have been inundated there.