Evacuations Ordered as Flooding Hits Sakhalin Due to Heavy Rains

Severe rainfall caused flooding in Russia’s Far East on Wednesday, leading to evacuations and the declaration of a state of emergency in certain areas of the Sakhalin region.

The regional government of Sakhalin reported that water levels along the Kazachka River increased due to sand accumulation from heavy rains and storm surges in the Nevelsky district, located at the southwestern end of the island.

A municipal-level state of emergency was instituted in the Nevelsky district. Meteorologists indicated that a low-pressure system situated off the eastern coast of Sakhalin, an island close to Japan, would continue to generate adverse weather conditions throughout Wednesday night.

Traffic on a coastal highway was halted due to mudslides and damaged bridges.

Emergency responders successfully rescued 37 individuals, including two children, after floods impacted the village of Kolkhoznoye, near Nevelsk. Officials reported approximately 70 homes sustained damage, but there were no fatalities or injuries.

The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry cautioned that strong winds and rainfall are anticipated to strike the Kuril Islands, which are part of the Sakhalin region, later in the week.

Climate scientists have consistently warned that Russia is experiencing warming at a rate approximately 2.5 times faster than the global average, making it increasingly susceptible to extreme weather phenomena, including extended heat waves and heavy rainfall that results in significant flooding.