Floods trigger building collapse in Makhachkala as hundreds evacuated

A multi-storey residential building collapsed in Makhachkala following severe flooding caused by heavy rainfall, authorities reported, with several other buildings now at risk of collapse.

AzerNEWS reports that the foundation of the building on Qazoprovodnaya Street was washed away by floodwaters. Witnesses reported that the structure began to collapse and fell while people were possibly still inside.

Emergency services from the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia are conducting search-and-rescue operations, while the city administration confirmed that at least four other multi-storey buildings are at risk. Around 300 residents have already been evacuated from these vulnerable buildings.

Authorities have declared a state of emergency in Makhachkala. The prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into the collapse.

The heavy rainfall has caused widespread flooding across the region, leaving more than 1,000 homes submerged and damaging buildings in Makhachkala, Derbent, and Khasavyurt.