Nine die in Russian floods

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia -- Nine people have died in torrential rains flooding the Pacific port of Vladivostok.

A state of emergency has been declared in the Primorye region, where thousands of others have been left homeless after flood waters washed away about 1,500 dwellings and 70 kilometres (44 miles) of roads, regional officials said.

The region has been deluged by a month's worth of rain falling in just two hours on Tuesday.

"We were at home during the downpour watching television, then suddenly something creaked and the house somehow tilted and started to move off somewhere," one local resident told Reuters news agency.

"We quickly jumped out -- it was lucky that the roof didn't cave in," the resident added.

Authorities told Reuters about 25,000 people had been affected by the extreme weather conditions and 300 homes were without electricity or hot water.

Some areas have shut off water supplies altogether for fear of infection as swollen reservoirs struggle to hold their banks.

Interfax news agency quoted the Emergencies Ministry as saying swollen rivers were flooding an area of about 215 square kilometres (85 square miles.)

Rain to continue

Train services to the far eastern port of Vladivostok have been closed down because the tracks are underwater and a bridge has been damaged.

But though there was a further heavy downpour on Wednesday morning, water levels are falling, said Reuters.

National television showed driving rain beating down on houses and cars, while bridges were smashed and railway lines torn down by cascading water.

Residents were seen wading through the thigh-deep water to rescue floating cars, personal possessions and pets.

Weather forecasters reported a powerful cyclone from south-east Asia had brought the tropical downpour to south Primorye.

They predicted torrential rain would continue for two more days, said Reuters. The cyclone is then likely to head for the Pacific Russian island of Sakhalin.

Primorye was hit hard last year by an energy crisis that left residents shivering in darkened homes for weeks.

This summer's floods threaten efforts to stock up on fuel and repair energy infrastructure before the harsh winter.