Severe flooding in Baku leaves two dead, causes widespread damage, Azerbaijan
Severe flooding occurred in Baku and surrounding regions after heavy rains began on October 21, 2024 and continued for two days. The downpour overwhelmed drainage systems, flooding streets, homes, and public buildings, with significant disruptions in transportation. Two people were reported dead due to drowning, and property damage was widespread.
Widespread flooding in Baku and numerous other districts of Azerbaijan, October 22, 2024. Image credit: Climate NetWork
- The hardest-hit areas included districts like Sabunchu, Surakhani, Khazar, Binagadi and Yasamal.
- Emergency services were dispatched to rescue stranded individuals and mitigate the impact.
- Local authorities, including the Ministry of Emergency Situations, are coordinating recovery efforts and addressing infrastructural shortcomings that exacerbated the flooding.
Widespread flooding in Baku and numerous other districts of Azerbaijan, including Sabunchu, Surakhani, Khazar, Binagadi, and Yasamal caused by heavy rains that began on October 21 and continued for two days.
Reports indicate at least two fatalities. The bodies of two individuals, one Elnur Fazil oglu Shirinov and another Koceri Farman oglu Abbasov, were retrieved from an inundated tunnel in the Subanchu district.
As of 09:00 LT on October 22, the rainfall in Baku and the Absheron Peninsula reached 86 mm (3.3 inches) — representing 306% of the monthly norm.
At least 31 people have been evacuated to safety by emergency forces, but the situation remains dire.
Numerous individuals are still trapped in flooded homes, with reports indicating severe property damage.
The rain damaged several public buildings, including the Azerbaijan State Art Academy and the Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University, where water leaked into classrooms.
At Secondary School No. 123, a portion of the fence encircling the schoolyard collapsed.
A two-story house on Abdulla Shaig Street in the Yasamal District fell, but emergency services rescued the residents. Local officials stated that this house had already been marked for demolition.
The heavy rainfall in some locations affected the city’s drainage systems, flooding streets, residential areas, and public facilities.
Flooding also affected several important highways, including major thoroughfares such as Heydar Aliyev Avenue, Gara Garayev Avenue, and Tbilisi Avenue, causing widespread disruptions in traffic and accessibility across the city.
By October 23, the weather had improved. However, the immediate impacts of the downpour have left locals dealing with the ravages of floods, necessitating an urgent response effort from local authorities.
Eldar Azizov, the head of the Baku City Executive Power, acknowledged that while excessive rainfall contributed to the flooding, the city’s drainage infrastructure deficiencies exacerbated the crisis.
“This, in some sense, is a natural disaster. It is in front of our eyes: there has been rainfall above norms,” Eldar Azizov stated.
“Now we must analyze the situation as to why an unpleasant situation has emerged in some areas. Maybe some mistakes were made during construction. In any case, it is still too early to give an unequivocal assessment.”
References:
1 Heavy rains paralyze life in Baku and regions of Azerbaijan – JAM News – October 22, 2024
2 Heavy rains paralyze Baku: evacuations, road closures, and damaged homes – Meydan.TV – October 22, 2024
3 Baku hit by widespread flooding – eurasianet – October 23, 2024
Harsha Borah is an experienced content writer with a proven track record in the industry. Harsha has worked with LitSpark Solutions and Whateveryourdose, honing skills in creating engaging content across various platforms. A gold medalist in a state-level writing competition organized by Assam Tourism, Harsha’s travelogue on Tezpur was widely appreciated. Harsha’s article, "The Dark Tale of the Only Judge in India to Be Hanged," ranks second on Google and has garnered over 11 000 views and 8 900 reads on Medium. Outside of writing, Harsha enjoys reading books and solving jigsaw puzzles.
Commenting rules and guidelines
We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules.