Sochi residents of Mirny micro-district report threat of flooding caused by Olympic construction

The construction of Olympic facilities on artificial embankments caused a permanent threat of flooding in the Sochi micro-district named Mirny, say locals. The Sochi Mayoralty says that they prepare compensations to owners of damaged houses.

According to Mirny residents, ice palaces, churches, the Olympic Press Centre, the railway section and the "Olympic Village" station, and a section of M-27 Highway are all built on artificial embankments. As a result, the micro-district is now in a sort of a pit formed by Olympic facilities; and even ordinary rains its houses find themselves in the inundation zone.

Marina Ovanesyan, a local activist, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that locals first faced the problem back in 2011. According to her story, "the authorities' inaction led to the damage of 61 houses during the rainy season, namely, on September 4, 7 and 24, 2013."

Marina added that she intended, together with other victims, to collectively sue the State Corporation (SC) "Olympstroy" and city Mayoralty demanding compensations for the damage and bringing the water removal system into due order.

In his letter in December 2013 to the President of the SC "Olympstroy" the Sochi Mayor Anatoly Pakhomov associated the flooding of the land plots and houses in Mirny with "the inefficient drainage system." The Mayor requested to inform him about the order of paying compensations to the affected residents.