Sochi authorities brace for heavy precipitation — rivers may overflow, snow may bury coast

In Sochi and Sirius, unfavorable weather conditions are expected from 3 to 8 February. On the night and morning of 3 February — heavy precipitation: rain on the coast and in the foothills, turning to wet snow in the afternoon, and in the mountains — heavy and very heavy snowfall with avalanche danger at elevations above 1000 meters above sea level. Likely rise in river levels to dangerous marks, sea agitation up to 3–4 points. In the evening of 3 February, prolonged intense precipitation on the coast is possible, with wet snow sticking and accumulating on roads. In the foothills and mountains, heavy snow will continue. By the evening of 4 February, precipitation will cease, and dry weather is expected until 7 February, but frosts and increased wind are possible. On 7–8 February, forecasters again promise rain. Today, a meeting of the city commission for emergency situations was held in the Sochi administration. Authorities are preparing for the elements« strike.

«A cold atmospheric front is approaching the Black Sea coast. Abundant precipitation in the form of rain and wet snow is forecast, which may create real prerequisites for the emergence of natural emergencies. It is important to ensure uninterrupted operation of resource-supplying enterprises, as well as round-the-clock duty of emergency teams to minimize possible risks and eliminate the consequences of bad weather. All city services and emergency rescue formations have been put on high alert, with a total of 1085 people and 447 units of equipment, including specialized ones, ready for operational response,» reported Sergei Konovalov, first deputy head of Sochi.

To minimize possible flooding, teams from utility companies and road services in all districts have intensified work on cleaning storm drains to ensure their throughput. Water-pumping equipment has been put on standby and deployed to locations, according to the resort administration«s press service.

Enterprises in the housing and utilities sector have strengthened their emergency recovery teams and formed a reserve if necessary, to ensure safe functioning of the city«s utility infrastructure and social facilities during bad weather.

Additional crews have been introduced for the entire period of the storm warning into emergency rescue formations at all levels. Lists of reserve forces and means have been compiled. At the Sochi Sea Port, the duty-watch service has been mobilized. Sochi International Airport is also ready for the weather conditions. Airline passengers are recommended to monitor the current flight schedule on online boards and plan their trip to the airport using rail transport in case of congestion on the federal highway.