Mudflow Nightmare: Russian Town on Edge as Homes Evacuated and Services Collapse

01/08/2025

Tyrnyauz, July 31: A state of emergency has been declared in the Elbrus district of Russia's Kabardino-Balkaria Republic after a powerful mudflow struck the town of Tyrnyauz, prompting the evacuation of several residential areas and leaving parts of the city without basic services.

Authorities ordered immediate evacuation on Thursday evening for residents of Molodezhny Lane (houses 1–4) and Elbrussky Avenue (houses 36–40), warning of the rapid advance of mud and debris. City officials urged residents in the Upper and Lower Gerkhozhan, Aul, and Third Kilometer microdistricts to remain indoors and prepare emergency water supplies, as water pipelines in the area were damaged.

The Gerkhozhan-Su River, known for its high risk of mudflow, has once again triggered a crisis. Car traffic in the Gerkhozhan area has been halted, and approximately 700 residents remain without water or gas. Meanwhile, a new gas pipeline rupture has left residents in the Gerkhozhan microdistrict without heating or cooking fuel.

More than 40 tourists were also evacuated from Elbrus National Park and temporarily housed in Tyrnyauz as a precaution. Infrastructure damage continues to mount. Earlier this week, mudflows struck the federal highway leading to the Elbrus resort, damaging bridge supports and forcing a full road closure.