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FLOODS IN IRKUTSK REGION

Servicemen deploy drone aircraft to monitor second wave of flood in Irkutsk Region's Tulun

The unmanned aerial vehicle surveys the terrain at an altitude of 300 to 600 meters

A still of Tulun obtained from the Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicle Press service of the Central Military District

A still of Tulun obtained from the Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicle

© Press service of the Central Military District

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Over 470 houses affected by 'second wave' of floods in Irkutsk region

MOSCOW, July 30. /TASS/. Servicemen from the Central Military District are using the Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicle to monitor the second wave of floods in the town of Tulun, Irkutsk Region, the district’s press service said in a statement released on Tuesday.

"The Orlan-10 is surveying the terrain at an altitude of 300 to 600 meters, working in the airspace for up to 10 hours. All data is sent online to the headquarters of the Russian Defense Ministry’s crew, which was set up in Tulun," the report says.

According to the district data, the drones assess the flooded area and carry out reconnaissance to work out a plan for eliminating the effects of the second flood wave.

The Orlan-10 is a Russian multi-purpose unmanned aerial vehicle designed for surveying extended and local objects in far-to-reach areas, in particular when carrying out search operations and repair work. It was developed by the Special Technological Center.

The Defense Ministry’s flood response team will remain in the Irkutsk Region until further notice. A total of more than 1,000 servicemen are involved in the efforts: they bake bread, deliver and distribute drinking water to the affected residents, sample water, soil, biological materials for the presence of infectious agents, and clear the territory of the debris and garbage. The first wave of floods hit the Irkutsk Region in late June-early July. A total of 10,900 houses, in which 42,700 people lived, were inundated in 109 communities. Twenty-five people were killed, and seven are missing.

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