OREANDA-NEWS. July 09, 2012. Vladimir Putin flew by helicopter over the Krasnodar Territory districts affected by heavy rains and floods. Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Southern Federal District Vladimir Ustinov provided explanations during the flight.

The President held a briefing in Krymsk, one of the region's worst affected towns. The meeting was attended by Krasnodar Territory Governor Alexander Tkachev, head of the Krymsk municipal district Vasily Krutko, and representatives of the agencies involved in the search and rescue operation and disaster relief.

Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Artem Plyushch of the Federal Service for Supervision of Environment, Technology and Nuclear Management (Rostekhnadzor), who reported on the state of the Neberdzhayevskaya water reservoir. The President was informed that the unplanned discharge of water from this reservoir, which could cause flooding in the region, would not be possible technologically. When water reaches the maximum level, the reservoir is drained naturally through the overflow pipe and is not forced.

During the meeting, Vladimir Putin announced that every family affected by the disaster will receive financial assistance for urgent needs in the amount of 10,000 rubles [USD 340]; later 50,000 rubles will be allocated for each family member in the form of compensation for lost property from the regional budget, and 100,000 from the federal budget. Families that have lost members in the disaster will receive compensation of one million rubles from the federal budget and the same amount from the regional budget.

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More than 150 people have died in the flood, according to the data of the Interior Ministry’s operational headquarters. For complete information about the situation in the Krasnodar Territory please call the Emergencies Ministry hotline on 8-800-775-17-17.