Sochi, Russia Inundated by Flooding After More Than a Month's Rain Falls in a Day
The Olympic city was inundated with flood waters after torrential rains.
Moscow -- Heavy rains have flooded Sochi, the Russian city that hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics, leaving one dead and some areas under several feet of water, according to officials and reports. It is also forcing authorities to consider an evacuation, the mayor's office said.
More than a month and a half’s rain -- 100 mm, or about 4 inches -- fell in 24 hours on the seaside city, according to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti. Despite now being best-known for the Winter Olympics, the city is a popular summer resort for Russians, squeezed between the Caucasus mountains and the Black Sea.
According to the AP, a man was found dead during salvage operations Thursday. No further details were immediately available.
Pictures on social media showed Sochi’s airport, refurbished for the Olympics, filled with brown water, with passengers standing next to baggage carousels up to their ankles. The city’s mayor has told residents to prepare for a possible evacuation and to remain indoors, warning that water spouts could form offshore.
Sochi and its Olympic reconstruction is one of Vladimir Putin’s prized achievements, with a colossal $50 billion spent on transforming the city. So far most of the sports facilities built for the Olympics have reportedly been undamaged by the floods, according to Russian media, with most of the flooding confined to residential areas.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.