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Vladimir Puchkov reported on the actions taken by the Emergencies Ministry in the regions affected by wild fires and floods, and measures to protect residential areas and restore social infrastructure.

On the same day, the President listened to reports by several regional heads whose territories suffered the most from floods and wild fires, over the telephone.

Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Yegor Borisov, Governor of the Irkutsk Region Sergei Levchenko, Governor of the Ulyanovsk Region Sergei Morozov and Head of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov reported to the President on the current situation in their regions.

Vladimir Putin instructed the regional heads to make every effort to repair the damage caused by natural disasters as soon as possible.

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Beginning of meeting with Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Puchkov, I already spoke to the heads of the regions that have been affected by the floods and wild fires the most. I would like to hear your report on the current situation in these areas, your assessment and review of the ministry’s operations, including cooperation with local authorities. What help is being provided to people? How are the relief measures organised?

Minister of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Natural Disasters Relief Vladimir Puchkov: Mr President,

The work of the management and task forces of the Unified State System for Emergency Prevention and Relief has been organised with due regard to the forecast of how the situation with floods and risks of other natural disasters might develop.

Specifically, as concerns protection of residential areas and social infrastructure from wild fires, we are using heavy aircraft of the federal government, and federal and regional land-based groups. The fire prevention regime has been introduced in 41 regions.

The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), as well as the Irkutsk Region, the Republic of Buryatia, the Trans-Baikal Territory and a number of other regions are facing the most challenging situations.

In the past 24 hours, efforts undertaken by air and control centres have helped protect 21 inhabited localities with a total population of over 70,000 people. The most dangerous situations are in Batamay, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), and in Sukhaya village [Republic of Buryatia].

Vladimir Putin: It seems that the threat is subsiding there.

Vladimir Puchkov: The situation is currently under control, but we are still deploying our response teams. A space monitoring system is operating, and whenever risks arise we mobilise both air and ground units. More than 130 fire sources are under control.

As for population protection and ensuring an adequate living environment in adverse weather conditions, over the last three days in ten regions residential building roofs have been damaged, courtyards and roads flooded, and power lines and social infrastructure damaged as a result of cyclones, heavy rain and strong winds of up to 22 metres per second,

Emergency and relief units were immediately deployed to these areas, and they are currently working on restoring power supply. At this time, we are monitoring the situation in 76 inhabited localities with a total population of over 40,000 people.

Vladimir Putin: What is the situation in the Ulyanovsk Region?

Vladimir Puchkov: Emergency response units are working in the Ulyanovsk Region, and the situation is getting back to normal.

We are paying special attention to providing targeted, specific assistance and supporting the people. Rooftops were damaged in 388 private dwellings. Emergency response teams are already working on these cases. Power engineering teams are also hard at work, and all the necessary supplies are available. All agencies are coordinating their efforts.

Our goal is to restore the infrastructure in the affected regions within the shortest possible timeframe and, taking into account the changing weather conditions, we have a system aimed at preventing emergencies by dispatching response teams to the relevant territories.

Mr President, we keep the situation with providing assistance to those affected by the disaster under control and we are fulfilling the tasks you set us regarding assistance for the wild fire victims in Siberia.

Currently, 1,094 people have received the needed financial help and compensation for the loss of their property. Some 188 people are in temporary shelters. They are being provided with meals, medical help and other services.

The ministry is also overseeing measures for the restoration of damaged and destroyed housing and infrastructure in the affected residential areas.

As concerns the Stavropol Territory, Governor Vladimir Vladimirov personally heads the emergencies commission. A large rescue unit is finishing rescue and recovery operations there.

The Government has distributed financial aid and compensation for lost property from reserve funds to as many as 17,600 people. Money has been also allocated from the Stavropol Territory’s budget.

Currently, we are overseeing efforts to provide the victims with shelter, and measures to restore social infrastructure.

Vladimir Putin: Good. Keep me updated.

I have a question. Do you require any additional help from other ministries, agencies or the Government overall?

Vladimir Puchkov: Mr President, according to your instructions, we are cooperating under the Unified State System for Emergency Prevention and Relief. All federal bodies are acting together as well as the emergencies commissions in the regions. The local authorities are very much involved as well as all vertically integrated companies, including energy providers, communications and road services.

Vladimir Putin: Is the epidemiological situation normal?

Vladimir Puchkov: It is stable but we are watching all potentially hazardous sites.

Vladimir Putin: Ok.

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