Washed away

SEPTEMBER 2, 2013 GRIGORY DURNOVO

Due to terrible floods in the Far East, Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative and Minister for Development of the Far East Vitor Ishaev was fired. Yuri Trutnev, until now an assistant to the president (his place has now been taken by the former Minister of Transport Igor Levitin), and before that the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, was appointed alongside him as plenipotentiary representative. Trutnev also received the status of Deputy Prime Minister and headed the government commission that will coordinate the work to eliminate the consequences of the flood. The position of Minister for Development of the Far East has not yet been filled.

Meanwhile, the water level in the Amur near Komsomolsk-on-Amur rose to 803 centimeters. Water overflowed 223 private houses in the city, some of them were flooded under the roof. Near Khabarovsk, the water level reached 797 centimeters; more than 600 houses were flooded in the city.