Heavy rains have brought tragedy to southern Russia. In the Dagestan republic, located in the Caucasus mountains, flooding has claimed three lives. The water rose quickly after days of downpours, turning streets into rivers and washing away safety on the roads.

Two people, including a young child, lost their lives when floodwater swept over a highway and overturned two cars. A third person died in a separate landslide caused by the same heavy rain. Videos shared on social media showed entire villages underwater and cars lying on their sides along the roads.

The regional capital, Makhachkala, also suffered serious damage. A multi-storey apartment building partly collapsed because of the flooding.

Local authorities had to evacuate around 4,000 people from the affected areas to keep them safe.

Rescue teams are working hard to help those still in danger. Thousands of rescuers are on the ground searching for anyone who might be trapped. Some water filtration plants have stopped working due to power cuts, making daily life even harder for residents.

This is not the first time Dagestan has faced such problems. Just last week, another major flood hit the region and forced the government to declare a state of emergency. More heavy rain is expected in the coming days, so officials are urging people to stay alert.

For now, the focus remains on saving lives and cleaning up the mess left behind by the floods. The people of Dagestan are hoping the worst is over, but the damage from the water will take time to repair.