YAKUTSK, July 11. /ITAR-TASS/. Controlled water discharges from the Sire Khollogos reservoir in the Churapchinsky district in Yakutia have been started to minimize the consequences of the local dam wash-away, head of the public relations department of the government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Afanasy Yegorov told ITAR-TASS on Friday.

“The government commission has made a decision to start controlled water discharge from the reservoir, in order to minimize the consequences of the dam wash-away and prevent the flooding of settlements. A break in the roadbed of the Kolyma federal highway, as well as pumping of water to other reservoirs are used for the water passage,” he said.

Yegorov also confirmed that there is the threat of flooding of 11 settlements in two municipal districts of the republic. “Flooding may affect 2,500 people that live in the lower reaches of the Tatta River,” he said.

Emergency response headquarters are evacuating the population and drive away cattle to the high ground. More than 200 people and 50 machinery units are involved in the efforts.

“Thanks to the timely preventive measures, not a single house has been flooded at the moment,” Yegorov stressed.