Tragedy strikes on the White Sea‑Baltic Canal in Russia

Catastrophe on the White Sea-Baltic Canal in Russia. As reported by RIA Novosti, "the temporary bridge between the locks has been washed away." A wall of water rushed into a nearby village. Six people were killed, and three are missing. A state of emergency has been declared in the region.

The Governor of Karelia, Artur Parfenchikov, reported that the temporary cofferdam installed during the reconstruction was washed away between locks 10 and 11. "In the path of the water discharge is the 'Baltic' cooperative dacha, where 11 people are registered," he said.

Shortly thereafter, RIA Novosti, citing emergency services, updated that six people were killed in the disaster, and three are missing.

Zvezda Channel published a video from the disaster site:

50 people from the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations and 65 from the Karelian Republican Search and Rescue Service were dispatched to the accident site.

A state of emergency has been declared in the region.

The canal, which is 227 kilometres long and connects the Baltic Sea and the White Sea, was built between 1930 and 1933. Thanks to 19 locks, it overcomes a height difference of 103 metres up and then 70 metres down to Lake Onega.

Today, the canal mainly transports heavy or large goods from Russia's industrial regions to the White Sea and northern Siberian ports.