The state of emergency in Dagestan and Chechnya, caused by flooding, has been elevated from the regional to the federal level.

Axar.az reports that Russian Emergency Situations Minister Aleksandr Kurenkov announced this during a government commission meeting in Makhachkala.

He stated that the heads of the republics must ensure regular updates to the population on support measures and prepare plans for the restoration of damaged housing and socially significant facilities.

Kurenkov noted that the scale of the floods caused by recent rains in Dagestan is beyond the capacity of regional authorities to handle independently.

"Considering the situation and the reports we have heard, the decision has been made to classify the situation in the Republic of Dagestan and the Chechen Republic as a federal emergency and to establish a federal level of response," he said.