Severe weather has once again affected areas of Russia‘s Black Sea coast, in particular in Krasnodar Region, where strong winds, hail and heavy rain have caused power outages and flooding.
As of 14 August, over 100,000 people were without power in the Krasnodar Region due to wind damage. Heavy rain has triggered flash floods in several areas, in particular in the resort city of Anapa where more than 450 people were evacuated including tourists from hotels.
Emergency management in the region (EMERCOM) reported 991 children were evacuated from summer camps in the districts of Anapsky, Slavyansk and Temryuk. Around 25 people were evacuated from flooded houses in a village in Temryuk district. A total of 1,531 people have been evacuated and 1,406 houses flooded across 19 settlements of the region, EMERCOM said.
Flooding has interrupted traffic on the highway connecting Novorossiisk and the city of Kerch. Flash floods previously struck in the port city of Novorossiysk on 10 August 2021, where as much as 47 mm of rain fell in 1 hour. Around 10 streets in the city were flooded up to 50cm deep.
Summer of Severe Weather in the Black Sea
Russia’s Black Sea region has seen multiple flood events since June this year.
Districts in Crimea saw deadly flooding in late June 2021, and then again in early July.
In early July authorities in Krasnodar declared a state of emergency after torrential rain and flooding. Veniamin Kondratyev, the governor of Krasnodar Krai, said some areas saw more than 2 months’ worth of rain in a few hours. Local media reported a total of 8 fatalities as a result of severe weather in the region: 5 in Tuapse; 2 in Goryachy Klyuch; 1 in Sochi.
Four people died in flash floods in the city of Sochi after torrential rain in late July this year. Russian Emergency Situations Ministry for the Krasnodar Territory said 52.6 mm of rain fell in 1 hour in Sochi on 23 July 2021.
Turkey
Areas of Turkey’s Black Sea coast have seen destructive flooding over the last few days. As of 14 August, 34 people have died in Kastamonu Province, 6 in Sinop Province. Nine people are in hospital due to serious injuries and one person remains missing after floods destroyed a house in Bartın province.
