The region is on the brink of disaster, as "there only remains enough water in the cisterns until next February, and, if we do not take extraordinary measures, there will not be any left in March," Kopylov said.

The whole Vladivostok region has been placed in a state of emergency, as the level of water in cisterns is only 35 percent of what is normally required to provide the area with the necessary quantity of drinking water.

Drinking water has been severely rationed for two months, and is only available in apartment blocks for four to five hours every other day.

Running water has been cut off in most companies, which have to look for new underground water reserves themselves.

While the city of Vladivostok has purchased special equipment to produce drinking water and started digging works to reach the water table, Kopylov said it would not be enough to assure the necessary water quantity.

He said the only way out was to ask the Russian government for 1 to 3 billion rubles (33.6 to 100 million dollars, 29.3 to 88 million euros) to build more equipment and pipes, although this would not solve the water problem for another one or two years.

The drought affecting the area is caused by an exceptionally low level of rainfall, compounded by the fact that the region has hardly been struck by any typhoons this year.

TERRA.WIRE