Heavy rains have caused floods and landslides in the Primorye region of the Russian Far East, affecting the wildlife and infrastructure of two national parks, "Land of the Leopard" and "Kedrovaya Pad," local authorities said on Wednesday.
According to the local press, the nests of some birds and reptiles were damaged, and some animals, including rare Far Eastern leopards and Amur tigers, had to escape from the water to the hills.
Floodwaters washed out a road linking two villages in Primorye region of Russia. /CFP
On Tuesday, heavy rainfall ranging from 30 to 200 mm hit the south of Primorye region. Currently, 29 villages in Primorye are isolated from road access.
The floods also destroyed bridges, buildings, gates, fences and other objects on the territory of the parks. Some employees were cut off from roads and had to be evacuated by sea.
The main river of the "Kedrovaya Pad" reserve flooded its banks and exceeded its historical maximum water level. The suspension bridge across the Kedrovaya River was demolished.
Heavy rains in the region have been continuing since early August. More than 5,000 households were affected by the rainfall and the total damage is estimated at 7 billion rubles (about 73 million U.S. dollars) so far.
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