Emergency situation declared in Russian Baltic exclave over flood
09:23, 7 February 2011
KALININGRAD. February 7. KAZINFORM An emergency situation regime was declared in Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad over flooding, the city's administration said in a statement. Kazinform refers to RIA Novosti.
Streets in low-lying parts of the city were flooded; water also filled basements in some old houses. At least 15 heating facilities in the flood-hit area had to shut down.
"The emergency situation was caused by several unfavorable weather factors: the soil froze deeply and could not absorb ice water, sudden warming caused the snow to melt quickly, and it all coincided with pouring rains, rare for this time of the year," the statement reads.
The situation was made worse by poor state of the city's drain system as drains blocked by litter and silt. Kazinform cites RIA Novosti. See www.en.rian.ru for full version