Apartment block collapses and man missing in landslide as Dagestan floods enter second week

A landslide has left one man missing while an apartment block has collapsed in Russia’s southern region of Dagestan, as flooding and heavy rain continue to batter the North Caucasus for a second week. 

A local official said on Telegram that the man was reported missing after heavy rains triggered a landslide in the village of Kirki, Dagestan on Sunday. 

The regional office of the Russian Emergency Ministry said the residential building fell down in Makhachkala, the capital city of the Dagestan region on the same day.

More than 4,400 people have been evacuated in the Dagestan and Chechnya regions as a result of severe weather over the last week. 

Authorities in Makhachkala declared a state of emergency on 28 March, with other towns in Dagestan following suit days later. 

• Dagestan floods leave more than 372,000 without electricity as state of emergency declared
• Storm Chandra brings severe flooding and power outages across Ireland
• Cyclone Koji cuts power to 15,000 in Queensland as flooding risk grows

No casualties were reported following the building collapse, with residents of the block evacuated.

Around 300 people were removed from apartments on another street in the city and the area cordoned off, due to a threat of a similar collapse, the local government said. 

An investigation has been launched into the incident by the Prosecutor’s Office. 

The building’s compliance with planning rules and the effectiveness of flood prevention measures will be assessed as part of the investigation. 

Heavy rain and flooding in Makhachkala continued throughout Sunday.

Copied