Southern Siberia

Fifteen people died and more than 460 sought medical treatment after wildfires caused by warm temperatures and high winds swept through southern Siberia, authorities said today.

Six people have died in southern Siberia and thousands more have been evacuated after torrential rain led to major floods.

A Russian helicopter carrying nine people, including senior rescue service officials, has crashed in the Irkutsk region of southern Siberia, an official said Monday.

Emergency officials in Russia said on Thursday that wildfires have swept across southern Siberia, and destroying houses in several villages and endangering others. No deaths have been reported. The Emergency Situations Ministry said on Thursday that 59 fires were raging in the region east of Lake Baikal, thousands of kilometres east of Moscow.

Fifteen people died and more than 460 sought medical treatment after wildfires caused by warm temperatures and high winds swept through southern Siberia, authorities said today.

Six people have died in southern Siberia and thousands more have been evacuated after torrential rain led to major floods.

A Russian helicopter carrying nine people, including senior rescue service officials, has crashed in the Irkutsk region of southern Siberia, an official said Monday.

Emergency officials in Russia said on Thursday that wildfires have swept across southern Siberia, and destroying houses in several villages and endangering others. No deaths have been reported. The Emergency Situations Ministry said on Thursday that 59 fires were raging in the region east of Lake Baikal, thousands of kilometres east of Moscow.