Severe flooding has impacted vast areas of the north Caucasus, including Daghestan and Azerbaijan, following unprecedented rainfall on March 27-28, 2026. This represents the largest-scale flooding event in the region in a century. The situation is particularly dire in Daghestan, where hundreds of residential buildings and thousands of residents have been evacuated due to water levels reaching up to 1.5 meters.
Rescue services have mobilized, deploying high-mobility vehicles to transport displaced individuals, with 3,338 people evacuated, including over 1,000 children. Temporary shelters have been established to accommodate those affected. Regional authorities, led by Sergei Melikov, are actively engaged in disaster response, focusing on the Khasavyurt district where four villages experienced widespread damage.
Over 320,000 people are without electricity across 283 settlements, including major cities like Makhachkala and Khasavyurt. Power restoration efforts are underway, with 70% of consumers currently served. The emergency hotline has recorded more than 100,000 calls.
A state of emergency has been declared in Makhachkala, Buynaksk, and the Khasavyurt district. Beyond Daghestan, the flooding has extended to Chechnya, Ingushetia, and North Ossetia, triggering emergency measures. In Chechnya, hundreds of homes in Gudermes and Kundukhovo have been flooded, impacting approximately 2,000 people.
Ingushetia has implemented a high alert regime due to river level and mudflow risks. North Ossetia faced highway collapses, bridge failures, and infrastructure damage. Azerbaijan has also been severely affected, with over 450 people evacuated, including 75 children, following heavy rain in Baku and surrounding areas.
Damage has been reported in the Sabunchu district, including a notorious tunnel, and other regions. Infrastructure issues, such as burst sewer pipes, have exacerbated the crisis. Agricultural lands have been eroded, and social infrastructure, including hospitals and kindergartens, has sustained damage.
As of March 30th, water levels are receding in some areas, but significant challenges remain, with over 100 people still housed in temporary centers.
Topics: #flooding #north #caucasus
Extensive flooding has affected large portions of the North Caucasus, encompassing Dagestan and Azerbaijan, due to exceptionally heavy rainfall between March 27th and 28th, 2026. This constitutes the