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Russia’s Crimean annex services declared a regional state of emergency on Thursday. This came after heavy rains caused flooding in some parts of the eastern peninsula, including the city of Kerch, Reuters reports.
The floods affected about 300 homes and the city hospital, according to the Ministry of Contingencies.
In some parts of the city, water flooded all the streets. Online video captures a fire truck trying to drive a sunken passenger bus through a flooded area. Some cars were almost completely flooded.
“If we talk about property damage, the situation is serious. However, now commissions have been formed and a regional emergency has already been declared,” the Interfax news agency quoted Sergei Aksionov, a Crimean leader loyal to the Kremlin, as saying.
Russia annexed Ukraine-owned Crimea in 2014. Kiev seeks to regain the peninsula.
The entrance to Yalta was closed due to flooding and the flooding of the Vodopadnaya River, says Mayor Janina Pavlenko. A state of emergency has been declared in the city.
“Currently, all entrances to the city are closed, because the uncontrolled flow of water washes and transports both cars and people. Thank goodness we’re doing it without sacrifices for now. I ask everyone to stay home, not to go out … We do not know how the situation will change in the next few hours, we can only hope for the best ”, says the mayor.
The mayor asked all businesses and companies to send workers home. Evacuation points are organized in the city.
In Yalta, the Vodopadnaya River was flooded after a six-hour monthly rain in the city, Pavlenko explains.
In Yalta, all the streets are flooded, several apartment buildings are flooded, as well as the Krymenergo service area, which means that people can be left without electricity. Fortunately, hospitals and other social facilities did not suffer. Drinking water supply was cut off in the town of Foros, near Yalta.
“Dear Yalta residents and city guests !!! If possible, stay home !!! ”, Writes the mayor on Facebook.
Attention was drawn to the three enigmatic swimmers accompanying Aksionov
The ruler of annexed Crimea caused a stir on social media when it became clear that a trio of mysterious swimmers had joined his expedition to inspect and assess major flooding in the region.
The video, posted by the Krym 24 news channel, shows Crimean leader S. Aksionov sailing in a flooded city of Kerch, with three men sailing nearby.
❗️ The streets of Kerch and several settlements in the eastern part of Crimea were flooded as a result of a heavy downpour. Hundreds of residential buildings and a city hospital were damaged, the Crimean Emergency Situations Ministry told Kommersant.
More details: https://t.co/F72AtRlsGh pic.twitter.com/BHXTxS4FX4
– Kommersant (@kommersant) June 17, 2021
There were observations on social media that the men resembled Aksionov’s bodyguards, that the scene looked like a “reality memo”, and that the dolphins had returned to Kerch.
However, no one seems to have been able to give a clear answer about who these men in bathing suits are and why they sailed after the ship of the Crimean leader.
The Ministry of Contingencies told the RBK portal that these people are just ordinary civilians who wanted to swim.
“We just realized that they had made a strange decision in this difficult situation. They were wearing bathing suits and could not think of anything smarter than to sail after Aksionov’s ship,” the ministry’s press service said.
The ministry also said that the swimmers needed no help from either the Crimean rulers or others on the boat, they returned ashore “happy and content.”
However, both media reports and S. Aksionov himself claim that the swimmers are security officers accompanying the governor of Crimea as he assesses the effects of the flood.
“I want to thank the staff of the Ministry of Contingencies, they are definitely accompanying everyone without exception,” Aksionov told reporters after his expedition.
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