Russian aircraft have bombed ice floes which have been blocking the flow of water on the River Lena, causing it to burst its banks. Worst hit is the town of Lensk, which remains under water and without electricity or telephones. But the build-up there, at least, appears to be easing. Hundreds of homes have been swept away or damaged beyond repair. Contingency plans are being drawn up for people to leave the regional capital, Yakutsk.
Russian television reports that outlying areas of the city are already under water.
Although at least 20,000 residents have already been evacuated, many others stayed on, fearing their property would be looted. Some have taken refuge on the upper floors of their homes, while others are camped out on roofs waiting for helicopters to winch them to safety. The Russian Emergencies Ministry reportedly said on Friday that the Lena had risen to six metres above its critical level. The ministry had ordered six heavy transport planes carrying food, camp stoves and tents to be dispatched to Yakutia to set up a tent city for the evacuees, the Itar-Tass news agency reports. Warning The severe spring flooding, an annual occurrence in Russia, has left almost 5,000 homes under water in 32 towns and villages from the Volga river in European Russia to the Far East.