MOSCOW, October 29 (RAPSI) – Russian investigators have launched a criminal case against officials of the Apsheronsky district of the Krasnodar Region, who allegedly failed to take measures to prevent deaths caused by a natural disaster, the press-service of the Investigative Committee has stated.

The officials are charged with neglect of duty, which has entailed deaths of two or more persons.

According to investigators, the officials of the district’s administration knew about potential emergency due to extreme weather but did not take necessary measures to protect the population in the October 24-26 period.

Investigators noted that the officials failed to properly notify residents of two villages about the disaster and did not evacuate them. As a result, four people died and several buildings were flooded.