Mountainous districts of Dagestan close schools and kindergartens because of frost

Residents of mountainous area of Dagestan suffer from severe cold. Some regional schools and pre-school education institutions are closed. In hospitals, patients are freezing. The local authorities are trying to find coal for heating in the neighbouring republics.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by Kaleria Mikailova, a resident of the village of Botlikh of the Botlikh District: "As soon as frosts came to the mountains, premises of the school and the kindergarten became very cold, the children had to walk dressed all the time, they caught a cold, so starting from yesterday, I left them at home. Other families have the similar situation."

Kaleria Mikailova has reported that together with other residents she went to Labazan Baldugov, Chief of the Botlikh District Administration. "In the conversation with us, he said that the problems are caused by lack of coal for boilers. Several schools and kindergartens are already closed in the district. Labazan Baldugov has also informed us that the necessary works are carried out," said Kaleria Mikailova. She has noted that the authorities should have prepared for cold weather during warm season.

Magomed Kurbanov, the head of the resuscitation ward of the Botlikh Central Regional Hospital, has reported that the similar situation is observed in the hospital. "The coal delivered for heating appeared to be small and mixed with soil, and it did not burn. At present, we have no even such fuel, the hospital is not heated, bed wards are cold; we installed electric stoves; however, they cannot cope with the cold," Magomed Kurbanov has emphasized.

Labazan Baldugov, Chief of the Botlikh District Administration, stated that the problem is being solved at the ministerial level.

No comments were received from the Akhvakh District Administration.

Meanwhile, in some mountainous areas, night temperature dropped to twenty degrees below zero.