A state of emergency has been declared as remote Yakutia villages are inundated by rising waters

Torrential rains have triggered severe flooding in Yakutia Republic, in the Russian Far East, leaving dozens of homes submerged and prompting mass evacuations.

Flooding began after the Indigirka River overflowed its banks earlier this week, with water levels surging by 40 to 60 centimeters in just 24 hours. The unusually heavy downpours caught villagers off guard, forcing people to flee their homes, according to media reports.

Regional authorities have declared a state of emergency and launched round-the-clock rescue and relief operations. Helicopters and drones are delivering food, heaters, and power generators to isolated settlements cut off by the rising waters.

"The situation remains difficult in the affected areas," Yakutia's head, Aysen Nikolayev, wrote on Telegram on Friday. He said damage assessments would begin once water levels recede.

In the village of Khara-Tumul, social media users shared videos of cows stranded on a hilltop after escaping the flooded lowlands. Local officials later confirmed the animals had been rescued.

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While water is now gradually subsiding in some areas, emergency crews continue to monitor the situation. Additional patrols have been deployed to ensure safety.

Scientists say such flooding is rare for the Indigirka, with experts linking the sudden rise to intense rainfall in Yakutia's central and mountainous regions.

Flooding is relatively common in Russia's Far East, however, particularly during spring and summer, with annual overflows often affecting hundreds of settlements across the region.

(RT.com)