Russia's gold-mining capital is without heat and hot water

On November 5, a utility failure occurred in the Russian city of Bodaybo in the Irkutsk Region, leaving local residents without heat or hot water. At the time, the air temperature had dropped to –20 degrees.

Acting Mayor Valentina Putria said the accident was caused by a rupture in a 350-mm-diameter pipeline. According to Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations, heat and hot water service were restored at 9:50 p.m.

As early as November 1, local authorities had reported on preparations for the heating season at boiler rooms and measures taken to address the consequences of a previous accident.

In late January 2026, a state of emergency was declared in the city. At that time, during a 40-degree freeze, the main water pipeline froze, causing four boiler rooms to shut down.

More than 140 residential buildings and two schools were left without heat or water. According to the Russian Investigative Committee, the accident posed a threat to the lives of at least 1,321 people.

Heating was not restored to the buildings affected by the accident until the second half of February.

Bodaibo is located in the northeastern part of the Irkutsk Region, 1,095 km from Irkutsk. The Bodaibo District accounts for the bulk of gold production in the region.

In 2025, 21.3 metric tons of gold were mined here, an increase of 11.6% compared to the previous year. In the first half of 2026, production volumes rose by another 22%.

More than two dozen companies are engaged in gold mining in the district. Among them are “Polyus,” “Vysokay,” “Druza,” and the “Lenzoloto” group.

As a reminder, in Vladivostok, Russia, more than 21,000 residents were left without heat and hot water due to damage to utility networks. The outage affected 98 apartment buildings and three social facilities, according to the Primorsky Krai Prosecutor’s Office.