Belgorod freezing: mass evacuation of residents begins in city

The situation with heat supply in the Belgorod Oblast of the russian federation has deteriorated sharply, as local authorities have begun urgent evacuations to other regions of russia due to accidents at energy facilities. First of all, children, the elderly and families with special needs are being evacuated.

This is what russian media write about.

The regional administration admitted that the repair work on energy infrastructure facilities did not work, and the city was actually on the verge of a complete heat supply cutoff.

Due to the freezing temperatures, utilities were forced to drain water from heating systems in 455 apartment buildings. 25 kindergartens, 17 schools, 9 clinics and 4 higher education institutions were also left without heat. Videos are being shared on social media showing water being drained right in the entrances of residential buildings.

The temporary relocation program currently covers schoolchildren, large families, families with children with disabilities, and single pensioners. This decision is explained by the risk of defrosting pipes and the inability to quickly restore normal heat supply.

Terms for the return of evacuated residents to their homes have not yet been announced. The regional authorities say that the situation remains difficult, and mass resettlement is currently considered the only way to reduce the threat to human health.

As a reminder, Belgorod was left without electricity, water and heat after the nighttime explosions: russian authorities reported large-scale destruction.