Russian President Vladimir Putin has berated local officials in the devastated district of Krymsk for failing to answer public concerns that residents were given no warning before nighttime flash floods raced through the southern Black Sea region on July 6-7, killing more than 170 people.
Speaking late on July 15 during a surprise visit to Krymsk, Putin criticized emergency workers for their slow response. During the disaster, many people were trapped on rooftops for hours as flood waters mounted.
"The local services ended up being unprepared at the moment of the disaster to adequately react to what was happening," Putin said.
Krasnodar Governor Aleksandr Tkachev, who oversees the Krymsk region, has pledged to track down officials who failed to provide accurate information before the flood.
Speaking late on July 15 during a surprise visit to Krymsk, Putin criticized emergency workers for their slow response. During the disaster, many people were trapped on rooftops for hours as flood waters mounted.
"The local services ended up being unprepared at the moment of the disaster to adequately react to what was happening," Putin said.
Krasnodar Governor Aleksandr Tkachev, who oversees the Krymsk region, has pledged to track down officials who failed to provide accurate information before the flood.