A state of emergency has been declared as remote Yakutia villages are inundated by rising waters Torrential rains have triggered severe flooding in Yakutia Republic, in the Russian Far East, leaving dozens of homes submerged and prompting mass evacuations. Flooding began after the Indigirka River overflowed its banks earlier this week, with water levels surging by 40 to 60 centimeters in just 24 hours. The unusually heavy downpours caught villagers off guard, forcing people to flee their homes,