Residents of Makhachkala complained of problems due to flooding.

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Due to flooding in Makhachkala, local residents report problems with electricity and water supplies, as well as transportation accessibility. They complained that it is very difficult to reach emergency services.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot," more than 20 private homes in Makhachkala were flooded as a result of the rain, and 103 people were evacuated. The rising water level on one street was caused by clogged drainage, the Ministry of Emergency Situations stated, following a report from the head of Dagestan on the advance clearing of storm drains. A state of emergency has been declared in Makhachkala. Houses in the city have been flooded, and appliances, furniture, and cars have been damaged. Residents say problems with flooding during rains have been unresolved for years.

Makhachkala residents interviewed by a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent on March 28th described the problems they faced due to the bad weather.

In the Reduktorny settlement, where there is no power, the elevators are not working, and water is not rising to the upper floors of apartment buildings, said Ibrahim. "There's no bottled water left in the nearby stores. We had some at home, and I wanted to bring it to our retired neighbors," the man said.

"Due to the current water supply situation, the city has organized a drinking water delivery service for residents. When contacting us, please provide your exact address and contact phone number. This will allow us to process requests more quickly and direct water trucks to their destinations." "Water is being delivered on a first-come, first-served basis: water trucks will be dispatched to residents as requests are received," the Unified Water Supply Operator reported on its Telegram channel.

A representative of Dagenergo told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that, according to preliminary information, power will not be restored in the Reduktorny settlement until March 29 due to flooded substations.

"In the settlement of Novy Kyakhulai, it's impossible to leave your home; the streets are flooded, and there's water in the houses. No officials have visited us. All the spring plantings in the garden are gone, and the furniture is damaged. Fortunately, we managed to get some appliances up to the second floor," said Musa.

"There's no water on Lomonosov Street; we can't buy it and haul it up to the upper floors. "There's barely enough bottled water to cook, and we also need some for household needs," says Zalina.

There's no water on Gagarin, Kammaev, Yusupov Streets, and other locations, according to residents of Makhachkala. Emergency services aren't answering or are redirecting calls, Nadira said. "We called 112 several times to evacuate a relative whose house was flooded to a shelter. The number was disconnected or didn't answer, and other emergency services weren't working either," she says.

"I was taking my daughter to the airport for her flight to Moscow. Luckily, I have a habit of leaving well in advance. We didn't risk driving along Petra Pervaya Street; we read the news about flooding there. We took a detour, along the so-called new highway. We were stuck in traffic for 40 minutes there. I thought there was an accident, but it turned out part of the road was flooded. "And this is a new republican highway. Why aren't there storm drains? We barely made it in time for the plane," Gadzhimurad said.

"On the Makhachkala-Airport highway, with access to Kaspiysk, the road was flooded due to the critical rise in the Talginka River and its overflowing banks. Traffic is extremely difficult." "We ask drivers to refrain from traveling in this direction and use alternative routes," the Dagestan Ministry of Transport stated.

"Chernovik" reported on the difficulties faced by residents of Dagestan

In its publication, the "Chernovik" publication drew attention to the appeal of Dagestan Head Melikov to the blogger and journalist community "to focus all information flows on helping people."

The corresponding call was voiced in a video message by Sergei Melikov, published on the Telegram channel of the Dagestan Head's administration. "Residents of Makhachkala, and indeed all of Dagestan, have been talking for years about real problems: dilapidated communications, lack of infrastructure, inefficiency, and criminal negligence of individual officials at the republican and local levels. For years, people have been saying that the republic's authorities aren't prioritizing people's quality of life, while constantly and incessantly presenting rosy reports of achievements, with numbers soaring endlessly. But when it rains, snows, the sun shines, the wind blows, the idyll of official reports collapses like a house of cards. And now the media and bloggers are being asked to focus their information on helping people, not on "unfounded complaints." Are they really unfounded? And when should we talk about them if not now? Prioritize improving the quality of life for the average Dagestani. So that their homes have electricity, gas, water, and sewerage. Public transportation runs like clockwork, and there's a park nearby. Accessible, high-quality healthcare. Responsible officials. And then there will be somewhere to redirect information flows. "Five years, citizen Melikov, would have been enough to achieve at least half of what was listed," the publication states.

In September 2025, heavy rains led to flooded substations and power outages in Makhachkala. Food spoiled in de-energized refrigerators, and cooking became difficult in apartments with electric stoves. Makhachkala residents have the right to demand compensation for damage caused by flooded streets and prolonged power outages, lawyers indicated.

The Dagestani authorities promised financial assistance to Makhachkala residents whose property was damaged by flooding, but did not announce the amount of assistance. Makhachkala residents paid 28-30 thousand rubles for the towing and repair of flooded cars, while the authorities paid only 10 thousand for property damage. Lawyers noted that car owners have the right to go to court to demand compensation from the mayor's office for failing to ensure safe road traffic.

This is not the first time Derbent has faced problems due to bad weather

The "Caucasian Knot" also reported that, in addition to Makhachkala, other districts of Dagestan suffered from flooding, in particular Derbent.

In 2012, heavy rains caused flooding in Derbent, killing six people. About 600 homes were flooded. City authorities paid compensation for lost property – 10,000 rubles per person, with a maximum of 25,000 rubles per family. Families who lost their homes were entitled to certificates for new housing. However, residents complained that the compensation did not cover the losses incurred.

Many residents complained that they were not included on the list of victims entitled to receive certificates for new housing. In 2016, bailiffs ordered the Derbent authorities to include an additional 68 people. And in 2018, the Dagestan government ordered the allocation of seven more housing certificates. Materials about the October 2012 flood in Derbent have been collected by the "Caucasian Knot" on the topic page "Flood in Derbent".

Unresolved problems in the housing and utilities sector are a factor in the growth of protest activity in Dagestan, Sergei Bachurin, head of the North Caucasus Federal District Ministry of Internal Affairs, stated on January 19. Makhachkala residents agreed with his opinion. "Problems with water, electricity, heating, and tariffs are not just household inconveniences, but a trigger for increased social tension, which leads to increased protest activity," noted Rasul Asad, the author of the Telegram channel "Ask Rasul." Rasul Asad.

During the direct line on November 27, 2025, Sergei Melikov ignored pressing issues and gave only vague answers to the questions raised. Residents of the republic were waiting for Melikov to explain the constant power and water outages, burning landfills, and rising prices for utilities and transportation.