Massive flooding in Russia’s North Caucasus destroys bridges, swamps homes, and leaves tens of thousands without power

Heavy rains triggered widespread flooding across Russia’s North Caucasus in recent days. Dagestan bore the brunt: tens of thousands of residents lost power, roads were disrupted, and railway infrastructure was damaged. Many streets in Makhachkala were submerged completely. In Chechnya, torrential rains and landslides damaged 17 bridges and destroyed dozens of homes, prompting authorities to declare a state of emergency. Power and water outages were reported in Ingushetia, while officials in Kabardino-Balkaria warned of avalanche risk. Meduza shares photos and videos of the damage.

Dagestan

On the night of March 27, torrential rains and gale-force winds caused rivers to overflow their banks, flooding homes, roads, and farmland across Dagestan. By midday, 132 settlements — home to around 70,000 people — had lost power, according to state media outlet RIA Dagestan. Some communities were also cut off from gas and water; nine villages were isolated after a bridge was flooded. Railway tracks and road infrastructure sustained damage throughout the republic.

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In Makhachkala, water levels on some streets reached 1.5 meters (five feet). Residents were evacuated from flooded areas, with temporary accommodation centers opened to shelter them. Authorities declared a state of emergency in Makhachkala, Buynaksk, and the Khasavyurt district. Orchards, vineyards, and fields were also submerged, though the full extent of agricultural damage has yet to be determined.

Dagestan Governor Sergey Melikov said the republic had prepared for spring flooding based on weather forecasts, but that actual conditions had exceeded even the most pessimistic predictions. He added that Dagestan would seek federal funding for riverbank reinforcement in mountain areas and new hydraulic infrastructure.

Chechnya

Authorities in Chechnya declared a state of emergency in nine districts, as well as in the cities of Grozny and Argun. A landslide on the Shatoy–Sharoy road severed transport links to the Sharoy district. In the Nozhay-Yurt district, prolonged rains triggered landslides that destroyed nearly 70 homes. Seventeen bridges were damaged across the republic, and some settlements were left without electricity. Hundreds of people were evacuated. On March 29, Governor Ramzan Kadyrov declared a republic-wide state of emergency.