Flooding streets of Dagestan cities due to excessive car wash water runoff.
Dagestan, Russia, faced severe flooding on August 10, 2025, particularly affecting the cities of Makhachkala, Kaspiysk, and the Untsukulsky district. The heavy rain caused streets to turn into rivers, cars to be submerged or swept away, and significant infrastructure damage including washed-out roads and mudslides.
Cities Affected
The flooding affected several cities and districts, including Makhachkala, Kaspiysk, Untsukulsky district, Gunibsky district, and surrounding settlements. The Makhachkala-Buinaksk-Verkhniy Gunib highway was hit by mudslides and rockslides, disrupting transport connectivity.
Damage Reported
The floodwaters and hail, some the size of cherries, caused streets to flood, cars to be submerged or swept away, and asphalt roads to wash out. Power outages affected 18 settlements, leaving thousands without electricity due to downed power lines caused by strong winds and landslides. Traffic jams and impassable roads due to rockfalls and water torrents were reported in the Untsukulsky district. A road cable bridge in the Akhtyn district was partially destroyed by floods in a related event earlier in the season, showing ongoing vulnerability to infrastructure.
Casualties
Preliminary data indicated no casualties from this particular episode of flooding, despite the scale of damage and risk.
Rescue Efforts
Local residents displayed bravery by rescuing families trapped in sinking vehicles amid the torrents in Untsukul district. Utility services are working on clearing storm drains and monitoring water levels on key road sections.
Meteorological Advice
Meteorologists advise residents to be cautious, avoid open areas during thunderstorms, and not to park cars near trees or loosely secured structures. No new information about meteorological advice to residents was provided in this paragraph.
Weather Conditions
The republic can expect heavy rain, thunderstorms, hail, and wind gusts up to 20 meters per second in the next 24 hours. However, no new information about the expected weather conditions was provided in this paragraph.
In just a few hours, more than 50% of the average monthly rainfall norm fell across the entire republic, leading to widespread flooding, infrastructure damage, and power outages, mainly in Makhachkala, Kaspiysk, and various rural districts.
The extreme weather conditions, including heavy rain and hail, have contributed significantly to the flooding crisis in the affected cities and districts, including Makhachkala, Kaspiysk, Untsukulsky district, and others. The heavy downpour, which exceeded half of the monthly average rainfall in a few hours, led to environmental-science concerns, especially regarding climate-change implications.
The science community closely monitors such weather events to better understand the impact on the region's climate-change patterns and environmental-science dynamics.
