There have been fatalities in Dagestan following the breach of a dam that was declared unsafe 20 years ago

In the Derbent District of Dagestan, the Gezhukh Reservoir burst, leading to the flooding of the village of Mamedkala and the evacuation of more than 4,000 people. 

The Agency reports this, citing data from the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations dated April 6, 2026. The earthen embankment of the structure could not withstand the overflow caused by heavy rainfall, even though the facility had been deemed potentially dangerous as far back as 2006.

A flood of water swept away several cars on the highway, killing a woman and a child; two other people are missing. In addition to the dam breach, severe weather in the region caused a bridge to collapse on the "Caucasus" federal highway and a three-story building to collapse in Makhachkala. Russian authorities acknowledged that the destruction in the republic’s capital was caused by chaotic development, and that the reservoir had been managed for years by a company that is currently in the process of liquidation. This is the second major flood in the region in the past two weeks, underscoring the critical state of infrastructure within Russia.

Leaders of the Russian-occupied regions of Dagestan and Chechnya, who are controlled by the Kremlin, have declared a state of emergency due to record-breaking floods and mudslides coming down from the mountains. 

Heavy rainfall has led to severe flooding in Dagestan, with a particularly large number of videos coming from Makhachkala. One of the causes of the flooding is infrastructure problems (chaotic development and poorly functioning storm drains), which, contrary to officials’ statements, have not been addressed for years.