MOSCOW. Aug 9 (Interfax-AVN) - The 7th airborne division has been involved in elimination of consequences of a disastrous flood in Novorossiysk and its vicinity for two days, Airborne Commander Georgy Shpak said on Friday.
"Literally at the calamity the flood hit the Black Sea coast, the personnel of the 7th airborne division launched rescue works in Novorossiysk and its outskirts damaged by heavy rains and mudslides. More than 300 servicemen were evacuating summer visitors, primarily children, out of the city's flooded outskirts, as well as from Abrau-Dyurso, Shirokaya Balka and other localities by armored personnel carriers and automobiles. Paratroopers transported hundreds of locals and summer visitors to a safe place in two days," Shpak told Interfax-Military News Agency.
"The rescue operation is overseen by acting commander of the division Colonel Alexei Pavlov and the division's chief-of-staff Colonel Alexander Kolpachenko, who are members of an operational headquarters set up in Novorossiysk to eliminate consequences of the flood," Shpak noted.
He said that the calamity damaged paratroopers' compounds as well. Electricity supplies were cut on Thursday and several barracks were flooded. A part of personnel is fed with compo rations. No servicemen have been hurt.
"The division's command has reinforced security," Shpak said. As a result, the command keeps more than 10 APCs and automobiles and more than 100 servicemen in the reserve," he noted.