9 Russian cities declare state of emergency due to storm Khanun

A state of emergency has been declared in nine cities in Russia's Far East, after Typhoon Khanun flooded thousands of homes and isolated 28 residential areas.

The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said today that Typhoon Khanun, which hit the Primorye region in the Far East from August 10 to 12, caused severe damage and forced authorities to evacuate thousands of people in many residential areas.

Storm Khanun dropped up to 188 mm of rain at one point, causing many rivers in the region to overflow their banks. The Razdolnaya River rose to a record 10 m, breaching the dam system protecting the residential area of Ussuriysk. More than 4,300 homes were flooded, at least 28 residential areas were isolated by floodwaters, forcing nine cities to declare a state of emergency to cope.

Rescue workers are deployed to flooded areas of Primorye Oblast, Russia's Far East, on August 12. Photo: Russian Emergency Situations Ministry. — Rescue workers are deployed to flooded areas of Primorye Oblast, Russia's Far East, on August 12. Photo: *Russian Emergency Situations Ministry.*

The majority of the affected area is in the cities of Ussuriysk, Spassk-Dalny and the Oktyabrsky district of Primorye. Ussuriysk, the second largest city in the region after the capital Vladivostok, suffered the worst flooding in a decade, with between 35-49% of its area inundated.

Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov has deployed crisis response forces to Primorye to coordinate relief efforts after Typhoon Khanun.

After three days of raging in the region, Typhoon Khanun has moved away from Primorye and the flood situation in the region may ease in the next few days.

Russia has deployed planes to deliver aid and Mi-8 helicopters to transport rescue workers to the disaster area. Initial reports have not recorded any fatalities.