Russia: Sochi's drivers tackle the floods

Residents in Sochi took refuge as floodwaters ripped through the city, Thursday, after torrential rain caused flash flooding throughout the city. Thousands of travellers are currently stuck due to the freak weather. Earlier in the day Sochi Airport was flooded. One terminal has been swamped under approximately 20–30cm (0.65-0.98ft) of water. However, some flights were allowed to land and depart. Airport staff say they are now operating with increased vigilance, trying to adapt themselves to the extreme conditions. The floods brought the entire former Olympic city to a halt, with emergency services trying to rescue people from their homes. According to EMERCOM, the storm drainage systems were simply unable to cope with the amounts of water in the deluge. There are 127 firefighters and 36 units of hardware currently conducting rescue operations.