The city of Chita in Russia`s Transbaikal region is facing a significant challenge as the Chitinka River has exceeded dangerous levels, leading to flooding and prompting emergency responses. Heavy rainfall has saturated the area, causing the river to spill over its banks and inundate surrounding areas.
The critical situation began after water breached an embankment near a garden cooperative known as “Ostrovok,” resulting in the immediate flooding of private land plots. Residents in affected garden associations have been evacuated and directed to temporary shelters established by the authorities. The threat of flooding also looms over the Kashtak microdistrict and the “Stroitel” garden cooperative.
Emergency services have mobilized, with 44 specialists and 19 units of equipment from the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations deployed to the scene. The Mayor of Chita has confirmed that efforts are underway to reinforce river banks at various vulnerable points. These measures are crucial as continuous rain exacerbates the rising water levels.
For many in Chita, the current events stir an unsettling sense of déjà vu. The area experienced severe flooding in 2018, a disaster that caused widespread damage, submerging over 500 homes and resulting in significant financial losses. While post-2018 efforts included reinforcing the embankment and raising the riverbank by approximately two and a half meters, the river`s current level, reported at 343 centimeters, far surpasses both the critical floodplain threshold (190 cm) and the official “dangerous phenomenon” mark (330 cm). This dramatic rise understandably fuels anxieties among residents about a potential repeat of the earlier, devastating scenario.
The impact is already being felt within the city`s infrastructure. A bridge connecting two key districts, Chernovsky and Zheleznodorozhny, has been closed to traffic as the water level has reached, and is slightly obscuring, its lower structure. Trolleybus services across this vital link have also been suspended.
Evacuation efforts started in the afternoon, with emergency personnel utilizing high-clearance vehicles and boats to move people from flooded areas. Temporary accommodation points are prepared in local schools and a sports facility. However, local reports suggest a common pattern observed in previous floods: many residents, particularly those from garden cooperatives, prefer to stay with relatives or find alternative private accommodation, often hoping the water will recede within a day or two, allowing them to return quickly to assess and manage potential damage to their properties.
As the Chitinka continues its ascent, local authorities are maintaining a heightened state of readiness, preparing for potential flooding impacts within the city`s residential areas. Residents can only watch and hope that the reinforced defenses prove sufficient against the relentless power of the rising river.
