Residents of Levokumka complained about the indifference of officials.

The long-standing problem of flooding in Levokumka is ignored by the authorities, while officials' reports do not reflect the real situation, which hinders compensation for flooding, residents of the village pointed out. According to them, they are tired of promises and want to draw the attention of federal agencies to the situation with the dams and the state of the river.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", the prosecutor's office identified damage to two dams on the Kuma River in the village of Levokumka, and the court ordered their repair. The breach of the dams could lead to flooding of agricultural land and housing, as well as worsen water quality, ecologists pointed out.

A resident of the village of Levokumka Dianna Evstratova stated that the long-standing problem of flooding is simply ignored, and in officials' reports, everything looks completely different from reality.

"Our village has been here for decades, and when some suggest simply demolishing or resettling us - it’s complete nonsense. The authorities need to not evict people, but simply fix and create a proper drainage system, clean the banks of debris, and timely release water from reservoirs when it rains. We have been asking for this drainage in Levokumka for about fifteen years, and in response, we get nothing but indifference," the villager told the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot".

Evstratova also added that the local authorities are simply hiding the traces of flooding on paper, depriving people of the assistance they are entitled to.

"Levokumka floods regularly, and this time we sat in water up to our knees for three weeks. The head of the village council herself came to our yard in rubber boots, saw all this dirt and flooded floors with her own eyes. And then she left and wrote in the papers that we had no water. Because of this, we can no longer receive normal payments and prove that we were affected. Officials simply cover themselves with reports, while we are drying our houses by ourselves and scooping water out with buckets," explained a resident of Levokumka.

A local resident Ruslan pointed out that the built dam is of poor quality and could leak at any moment.

"The way they built this dam is just laughable and sinful. They left through holes and gaps right at the joints, near the bridge and at the edges, through which water will rush straight into our gardens at the first good rise. And the most frustrating thing is that when the river starts to recede, this same dam will not allow the water to return to the riverbed. It will create a huge pool right in the middle of the village, and we will sit in the swamp for weeks. Money has been buried in the ground, and the benefit from such bank reinforcement is zero," said the activist to the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot".

He also emphasized that the river upstream is heavily cluttered, but instead of real work, the authorities are filming beautiful videos.

"Downstream, the Kuma River is completely blocked by old trees and snags. As soon as there is a lot of water, a deadlock forms immediately, there is nowhere for the water to go, and it rises to almost seven meters. After the terrible flood in 2017, we were promised to completely clean and straighten the riverbed for sixty kilometers ahead, but in the end, they came, filmed a five-minute video for show, and left. It’s impossible to build properly due to restrictions, houses have depreciated, no compensation is given, and after every rain, we sit on suitcases waiting for trouble," he complained.

A resident of Levokumka Natalia, whose property was seriously damaged by water, complained about the endless bureaucracy when trying to obtain compensation.

"You can't wait for help from the administration, people's furniture is ruined, floors have rotted, and officials cling to every piece of paper. It reaches absurdity, a person had water standing in their house, and they are denied payment because their house is recorded incorrectly in some old registry. People run around the offices for months, and winter is approaching, walls need to be dried, materials bought, and repairs made somehow," said the local resident to the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot".

According to the affected person, people are tired of empty promises and hope to attract the attention of federal agencies.

"Regional officials came to us again, sat down, talked, and promised to do bank reinforcement by 2027. They offer us to live in water for another three years and just wait. We want to reach out to officials in Moscow. It seems that the locals don’t care what happens. No one wants to hear more tales about inspections and commissions; people need a clean river and a proper dam right now," she summarized.

Retiree Viktor Ivanovich, living near the Kuma riverbed, reminded that even the prosecutor's office recognized the old dams as dangerous.

"These two dams have never inspired confidence, and now even the environmental prosecutor's office has proven in court that they are in terrible condition and abandoned without proper supervision. The slopes are overgrown with weeds and bushes, no one knows if they will collapse during the next flood or not. We have simply been left to our fate," he told the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot".

The villager added that it is easier for local authorities to hold endless meetings than to solve the real problems of the village.

"The river is not cleaned, there is no drainage system, and stray dogs run in packs. At receptions, officials just shrug their shoulders, promise to convene another commission and inspect everything while we scoop water out of our basements after every rain. If the blockages in the reeds are not cleared now and the dam is not repaired, Levokumka will flood again," he noted.