The head of a district in Russia's Siberian region of Irkutsk has resigned after a probe was launched into allegations that he ordered local emergency services to safeguard his property during recent floods that killed dozens of people.
Local officials in the Nizhneudinsk district said on July 15 that Mayor Sergei Khudonogov officially stepped down "due to health issues" and that his resignation was accepted by the local council.
Days earlier, the Investigative Committee's directorate in the Irkutsk region launched an abuse-of-office investigation into Khudonogov's actions.
The investigation was launched after a video was posted on the Internet showing dozens of state-owned trucks and equipment securing Khudonogov's property during floods caused by heavy rains, while ordinary residents were left without help from the authorities.
The floods hit the region on June 25 and lasted for days.
According to the latest official data, 25 people died during the floods, including a child, and at least eight remain missing.
