Ildar Khalikov takes part in video conference on readiness of the regions for spring flood and fire hazardous season

On April 2, Tatarstan Prime Minister Ildar Khalikov took part in a video conference on readiness of the regions for spring flood and fire hazardous season, held by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

In Kazan, the broadcast of the meeting was organised from the Tatarstan President’s Residence at the Kazan Kremlin.

Opening the meeting, Dmitry Medvedev said that 4,500 settlements are in the zone of possible flood according to the forecast. In April, a spring-time freshet is expected on the rivers of the European part of the country and in the southern part of Russia’s Asian territory. In April and May, freshet waters will shift to the Asian part of the country, to the Far East.

“The weather conditions do not allow us to relax. In the last few years we have faced unprecedented disasters, like fires in 2010, the flood in Krymsk in 2013 and the heaviest flooding in the Far East last year, the aftermath of which is still being eliminated,” Dmitry Medvedev said.

According to Head of the Russian Government, the gained experience should be taken into account by the state system of prevention and liquidation of emergencies. He also noted that all federal and regional plans for response to emergencies had been approved, field inspections had been carried out and hazard areas had been determined.

As for forest fires, it was said that their number has reached 500 from the beginning of the year. The most of the fires, almost 85 per cent, were in Primorsky Territory.

Dmitry Medvedev said that territories with a potential risk of wildfires included more than 7,000 inhabited areas.

We are entering the toughest period and all the services must ensure their maximum availability, Dmitry Medvedev noted.

The regions bear the primary responsibility for preparation for flood and fire season, Head of Russian Government pointed out, adding that only personal responsibility of heads of the regions, their personal involvement will ensure the necessary consolidation of efforts and conscientious performance of tasks.

Then, Russian Minister of Natural Resources Sergey Donskoy made a report on the situation. According to him, the highest levels of spring freshets are expected in the Trans-Volga region, on the Ural river in the Orenburg region, Tobol, Tara, Om, Irtysh and in the middle stream of Kolyma.