Russia’s Putin Orders Flood Investigation

UPDATE: As the death tolls from the severe flooding in Russia’s Black Sea region increased to at least 150, President Vladimir Putin ordered an investigation into whether more could have been done to prevent so many people from dying. Putin has been criticized in the past for seeming indifference to disasters, notes the Associated Press. But he quickly went to Krasnodar, the region hit with the worst flooding in decades, and vowed money and homes for the victims, reports Reuters.

Saturday, July 7: Huge flooding in the Black Sea region of southern Russia has killed 103 people, according to the Associated Press. The flash floods took place after what would be the equivalent of two months of average rain fell in a period of a few hours overnight, reports Reuters. Residents were forced to climb into trees or their roofs to try to escape the floodwaters.

The huge rainstorm appeared to come without warning and since it took place at night, many were forced awake when their homes were already starting to flood. “People are on the street, they are at a loss what to do,” one resident said. Emergency rescue teams have been sent from Moscow, reports the BBC.