Central flooding: record rains hit Russian regions

A record amount of precipitation fell in the capital region — Monday, July 21, became the rainiest in the last 146 years, forecasters said. Due to heavy rains, cars and entrances went under water, people were forced to swim through the crossings. A concrete bridge collapsed in the Moscow region due to heavy rainfall, and three settlements were cut off. Record rains have also fallen in other regions of Russia, including the Tver, Voronezh, Rostov and Novgorod regions. About when the rains will end and how to prepare for floods — in the Izvestia article.

Heavy rains in Moscow and Moscow region

In Moscow and the Moscow region, July 21 became the rainiest since 1879, with record rainfall in some places, Tatyana Pozdnyakova, a leading specialist at the Meteonovosti news agency, told Izvestia.

— So, more than 90 mm of precipitation fell in Zelenograd. The figures are also high in the Moscow Region, with up to 60 mm in some cities. These values are higher than the highest on record for these July numbers," she explained.

In the center of Moscow, the elite residential complex "Sadovye Kvartal" was flooded due to heavy rainfall. The video, which was filmed by one of the residents, shows a "waterfall" in the entrance and elevator. And in the residential complex on Entuziastov Highway, several entrances were flooded at once, and the elevators in the building were out of order. A multi-kilometer traffic jam has formed on the MKAD due to flooding of the road section near the Sadovod market. In the south-west of the capital, the territory of a car service station and more than 10 cars parked nearby were submerged.

Motorists were in a hurry to drive through the flooded areas as quickly as possible, fearing that water would seep into the interior and under the hood. The "sunken" cars were pulled out with the help of a tugboat.

At Paveletsky railway station, due to the elements, there were delays in the departure of trains, water flooded one of the waiting rooms. The press service of the Moscow Railway announced the closure of the pedestrian tunnel at the MCD-2 Pavshino station due to serious flooding. As eyewitnesses told Izvestia, it was possible to cross it only by swimming.

The network also got a video in which a resident of the Moscow region decided to get to the parking lot on a board because the street was flooded. In the Naro-Fominsk district of the Moscow region, a concrete bridge collapsed due to heavy rainfall. As a result, part of the village of Aleksino, the Vereyskoye and Isma farms were cut off, the operational services reported. Rescuers helped local residents to cross by boat.

In the Moscow region, a record for precipitation was set in Kolomna — 53 mm, the Phobos hydrometeorological center reported. This is more than three quarters of the monthly norm.

In small rivers near Moscow, water may rise due to such precipitation, said Tatiana Pozdnyakova, a leading specialist at the Meteonosti news agency.

— In the near future, flooding may occur in areas located along the rivers of the Moscow region, — the expert believes.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations asks citizens, if possible, not to go outside in bad weather, not to hide under trees. Drivers should avoid sudden maneuvers, be especially attentive to speed limits and distance, and avoid parking under trees and rickety structures.

Heavy rainfall in other regions

Heavy rains have also fallen in other regions of Russia. In particular, in the Tver, Voronezh, Rostov, Ryazan, Tambov, Kaluga, Novgorod regions and in the Republic of Tuva.

On the night of July 21, 74 mm of precipitation fell in Kaluga in a couple of hours, which is 95% of the monthly norm, Phobos reported. In the Tambov region, this indicator has already exceeded the monthly norm by a quarter and reached 68 mm.

Several districts were flooded in Voronezh at once, and an emergency mode was introduced in one of the villages of the region. The footage taken by eyewitnesses shows that vehicles were stuck in the middle of the road, and pedestrians were knee-deep in water. Users also posted a video in which several men staged a fishing trip right on the flooded roadway.

An emergency mode due to severe waterlogging of the soil and loss of crops has also been introduced in the Novgorod region, the regional Ministry of Agriculture noted.

"This year, farmers in the region have faced two serious problems at once — a cold spring and frequent heavy rains. Unfortunately, some of the crops have already been lost," the department's Telegram channel reported.

In the Rostov region, more than 10 settlements were left without electricity due to a powerful hurricane, the Ust-Donetsk district administration reported on July 20. Shortly before that, in Tyva, a teenager was killed by lightning, he helped his family to look after horses, the regional department of the Investigative Committee reported. Over the weekend, the Ministry of Emergency Situations announced a storm warning in the republic — severe thunderstorms, heavy rains, large hail and dust storms were expected.

Such an abnormal amount of precipitation in the capital and other regions of the country fell due to the cyclone, Roman Vilfand notes.

"In warm weather conditions, a cyclone passes through the European part of Russia, which is why heavy rains are falling in this area," he explained.

At the same time, according to him, the heaviest precipitation always falls in the summer season, and the rainiest month of the year is July.

— The temperature is highest in July. In addition, the sun's rays are saturated with maximum energy this month. Therefore, it is in July that the process of convection most often occurs (the transfer of air masses from the ground to higher layers), which leads to intense precipitation, he clarifies.

How long will the downpours last

The weather in Moscow and the Moscow region will improve only in the second half of the week, Tatiana Pozdnyakova notes.

— On Friday, the weather will be determined by the anticyclone. In addition, according to the forecast, there will be no precipitation at the end of the week," the expert said.

However, unstable weather conditions are expected in the North Caucasus Region in the coming days, Roman Vilfand notes.

— Ingushetia, Chechnya, Stavropol Territory, Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia will see heavy rains combined with thunderstorms, — he clarifies.

A similar situation will be observed in Kalmykia and the Astrakhan region, regions for which such heavy rains with thunderstorms are extremely atypical, the expert emphasizes. And in the Krasnodar Territory, according to him, in addition to heavy rain, hail may fall.

Intense precipitation will lead to the fact that in the Krasnodar Territory and in almost all republics of the North Caucasus, the water level in mountain rivers will rise to unfavorable levels, Roman Vilfand notes.

— In the next few days, residents of these regions should not leave cars near rivers, because it is dangerous, — the expert warns.

How to prepare a car for heavy rains

During periods of heavy rains, the likelihood of serious car breakdowns increases, Nikita Rodionov, technical director of the international Fit Service network, told Izvestia. In particular, the water hammer.

"Water enters the engine through the air intake," the expert pointed out. — The motor abruptly "swallows" water instead of air, a pressure surge occurs, the working parts receive a tremendous load and deform. The car suddenly stops, the engine stalls with a characteristic thumping sound. The consequences of a water hammer depend on the speed of the vehicle at that moment. The higher it was, the worse it was for the engine.

He advised motorists to overcome large puddles as slowly as possible, having measured their depth in advance. In this case, the water should not rise above half of the wheel. If the car is flooded in the parking lot, you do not need to try to start it, but you should take it to the car repair shop in a tow truck as soon as possible.

Electronic assistants, sensors, and control units may also be affected by the elements of water, Nikita Rodionov warned. So, getting the ignition coils wet often leads to a short circuit, and the sensors in the engine compartment begin to malfunction upon contact with water.

— The danger is not only deep puddles, but also waves that occur when wading, — said the expert. — Move as smoothly and slowly as possible, stop only after completely overcoming the obstacle. It is advisable to dry all the elements that have fallen into the water, as well as the electrical contacts. Otherwise, they may oxidize and cause malfunctions.

After overcoming the water obstacle, you need to press the brake hard several times to dry the pads and discs. Then it is necessary to diagnose all other elements of the braking system at the service station, advises Nikita Rodionov. In addition, tires are often punctured in puddles and license plates are lost.

Only motorists who have a voluntary hard hat insurance policy can count on compensation for damage caused by heavy rains, Lyudmila Yusova, head of the Rosgosstrakh Motor Insurance Payments department, told Izvestia.

— Not all cases of water damage to a car can be considered insurance events. In insurance, floods and large—scale flooding are considered to be at risk of "natural disasters," she explained.

The recognition of the event as insured also depends on the nature of the damage to the car, Lyudmila Yusova noted. For example, the risk of a water hammer is not included in the standard terms of casco insurance, so the car owner will not be able to expect payments.

— The amount of payment in such cases can reach 30-50% of the cost of the car, as it usually involves the need to replace the engine, — she said. — But it must be borne in mind that the car owner, according to the insurance rules, must take the measures available to him to reduce the amount of possible damage to the insured property.

According to Lyudmila Yusova, in 2024, the maximum payment for rain flooding was 536.5 thousand rubles, which the insurance company reimbursed for the repair of the Haval car, which was insured by a resident of Tatarstan.