A regular meeting of the capital city authorities was held on July 18. At the beginning of the meeting, Mayor of Ulaanbaatar D.Sumiyabazar expressed his gratitude to the authorities, the personnel, and officers who worked promptly at in the face of the flood situation and organized to overcome the event with a minimum damage.

In the previous meeting, the mayor gave tasks in 21 areas, and the implementation rate was about 85 percent. It was ordered to thoroughly prepare for the winter season, to intensify the repair of engineering supplies, to carry out recovery work according to standards, and to regularly monitor its implementation. In this context, 25 organizations implemented 658 measures, and the implementation rate is 55 percent.

The districts have established the sub-working groups to analyze the effects of the disaster and assess the damage caused, and the damage assessment is ongoing. For example, in Bayanzurkh District, there are 15 roads and 12 sidewalks damaged by floods. A total of 297 households were flooded and one household lost its home in Chingeltei District. In Khan-Uul District, 322 citizens from 68 households, and in Songinohairkhan District 47 households were affected by flood.

The mayor emphasized that citizens’ safety should be given priority.

Area of 4,259,619 square meters disinfected

In the vicinity of Ulaanbaatar, the flood level of the Tuul River is 202 cm, the dangerous flood level is 260 cm, and on the morning of July 8, it reached 311 cm, exceeding the dangerous flood level by 50 cm. One hundred twenty-one thousand people from 31,600 households in 26 khoroos of the capital, streets, roads, tunnels and 144 buildings in 11 locations were affected by floods. Moreover, 52,965 consumers lost electricity, and there occurred a risk to life, health, property, and engineering supplies. A total of 14,828 employees performed duties with 2,203 technics in 18 locations. In addition, 743 people from 243 flooded households were evacuated to safety by helicopter, boat and on foot and no casualties have been recorded. Along the Tuul and Selbe rivers, sand, gravel and dirt were unloaded, and the dams of the river were strengthened. A total of 870 employees and volunteers from 16 organizations worked with 324 equipments and technics, and cleaned an area of 22.7 million square meters, and transported 10,540 tons of mud. Between July 10 and 16, a total area of 4,259,619 square meters was disinfected with fogging vehicles. Decontamination was carried out by nine licensed companies.

No positive specimens detected in 57 samples of water and soil

A total of 28 chemical and bacteriological samples from seven sewage treatment facilities, 194 chemical and bacteriological samples from six sources of drinking water in the capital, 80 water distribution houses, 11 privately owned abyssinian wells, and samples from a total of 74 points determined by the level of soil pollution have been delivered to the laboratory. Of the 57 samples, there were no positive specimens detected, and the results of other tests are pending.

The mayor reminded to carry out disinfection frequently.

Risk assessment planned for 89 buildings

Monitoring of constructions, roads, bridges, dams, ditches, and diversions that slow down the flow of flood water was carried out and a survey of 734 buildings affected by the special protection zone of the Selbe and Tuul rivers, or an area of 245 hectares, was conducted. Eighteen flood-risk locations along the Selbe River and the risk status of the Tuul River dams have been assessed. Moreover, in cooperation with relevant organizations, the current state of the dam of the Selbe River was checked, repairs and renovations were carried out, and buildings that were flooded were inspected. Accordingly, plans were made to assess the quality, safety or risk of construction in 89 buildings. Based on the survey of buildings affected by flood of the Selbe River, a plan was made to conduct a building quality, safety or risk assessment for 89 buildings.

Inspection of all substations and electrical equipment conducted

Inspection, repair, and emergency service teams worked, and inspections, maintenance and monitoring on electrical and network equipment were carried out regularly. Unscheduled inspection of all lines, substations, and electrical equipment was performed, and the detected damages were eliminated. During the the heightened state of readiness, 434 engineers and technicians with 108 equipment have worked. In addition, 117 substations that may be flooded were inspected, and measures were taken to prevent water to enter into 30 substations.