Post-apocalyptic Krymsk: Russia’s southern city destroyed by flood (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

Published: 08 July, 2012, 07:29

Almost everyone in Krymsk was caught by surprise when devastating flood waters hit the town. In an instant homes, cars and gardens were swept away by a five-meter high wave as the nearby Adagum River turned into a roaring nightmare.

­The streets of Krymsk are now mostly deserted. The town looks like  the set of a post-apocalyptic movie, RT’s Denis Bolotsky reports from  the scene.

At least 130 people drowned after the entire city was completely  submerged by flood waters on Saturday. But the death toll is likely to  rise as rescuers reportedly continue to recover bodies.

Russia’s Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova arrived on Sunday in the Krasnodar region. She will head to Krymsk and Gelendzhik to assess the full impact of the tragedy.

The flood water came extremely quickly and with immense force. Many of  the dead are reportedly pensioners who were asleep when the flood struck  and unable to escape in time.

The town's emergency ward was also hit. Local doctors, barely  escaping death, continued working. Two out of six ambulances were  destroyed instantaneously. Doctors and drivers, however, managed to get  other vehicles out of the garage to help people.

Hours after the devastating flood hit their houses, local residents are still in shock.

“People came in under a lot of stress,” local medics say. “They have  lost their houses, their relatives and loved ones. It was painful to  look at the elderly.”

A school bus was caught by a deadly stream, but the driver managed to  call the emergency crews and help to get the children out of the bus.  July is a month of school holidays, and in Russia's south, thousands of  children take excursions out of town.

FULL STORY: http://www.rt.com/news/krymsk-russia-flood-devastation-655/