Typhoon Lionrock hits Russian Pacific rim as Eastern Economic Forum kicks off

A state of emergency was declared in 13 districts as the typhoon - which killed 11 in Japan - struck in the Russian Far East. Some 1,200 houses were flooded with a dozen roads blocked from floodwater, and six districts were without power. 

A number of villages were entirely cut off. The Primorsky Hydrometeorological Centre said the typhoon is the most powerful ever recorded in the region. The forecasters have never seen such a trajectory of a typhoon in the past 50 years.

The flooded village of Shumny waited two days for assistance for the 300 residents. Head of Kavalerovo district Sergei Gavrikov said 'We have never had such a nightmare in our area. Yes, the rivers overflow after typhoons, there were small flooding, but not in such a scale...'

In Svetlaya village the water carried away houses, roofs and equipment. Local resident Ksenia said: 'People do not have any stocks, only what they managed to take with them. For many there is only a minimal supply of food. No drinking water. 

'Firewood was swept away by water, there's no electricity. Houses are wet, walls and ceilings are crumbling.' 

The road from Kavalerovo to Vladivostok is washed away in two places. Gavrikov added: 'Legislator Viktoria Nikolaeva came to us and now she cannot leave. 

'The local administration  has not slept for two days. Now I'm sitting in dirty rubber boots, wet like a penguin.

'Seven professional rescuers with boats came to us from Vladivostok. They try to repair two destroyed bridges. The water is retreating but no one gives us accurate forecasts. It is said that the typhoon is still somewhere near our shores. If it comes in to us for a cup of tea, it will not be funny, for sure...'

The traditional first day of school in Russia was abandoned in 65 schools on 1 Septmeber. President Vladimir Putin was in the region ahead of the opening of the Eastern Economic Forum. He visited gymnasium number 2 which was functioning.

He gave leadership tips to the students.  

'It is extremely important and even the most important thing - to find the thing that you are happy to deal with, because if a person comes to work with pleasure, he usually achieves good results,' he said.

'Anyone who is seeking to be considered a leader and get some kind of nomination should never nose up, believing that he/she is the best. Once a person begins to believe that he/she is better than anyone else, he/she starts to lose from then on. Ambition is good, conceit is bad.'

The governor of Primorsky Krai, Vladimir Miklushevsky, asked the president to allow him to miss the opening of the forum on 2 Septmeber so that he could remain in the flooded areas organising rescue and assistance efforts.