EMERCOM to get ready for high water period

MOSCOW, March 13 (Itar-Tass) -- In case Russia faces a complicated
situation over the period of high water, EMERCOM will prepare over 4,000 evacuation stations, EMERCOM's Information Department says.
"Should evacuation be necessary we plan to organise 4,134 stations to house 746 people," the source said. "The early forecast says that emergency situations' probability may be caused by high waters especially in the Siberian and Far East federal districts."
The present layer of snow is by about 120-200 percent thicker than it is considered normal in the Khabarovsk, Maritime, Kamchatka territories, in the Omsk, Novosibirsk, Kemerovo regions, while in Yakutia and the Khabarovsk territory the layer of snow exceeds the normal thickness by 250-300 percent.
At the same time, the snow level is below the regular level in the
Ivanovo, Kostroma, Moscow, Tver, Yaroslavl regions and in the Volga
federal district.
"However, low temperatures there may provoke big and lasting ice
blockage," the information department added.
The ministry has united 450,000 experts and 50,000 vehicles to be
involved in overcoming possible consequences of high water.
"We have 15 air vessels, where eight Mi-8 helicopters are equipped to ruin ice and ice blockades remotely," the source said.