flooding 2013 the Far East of Russia

Trans Siberian trains are on schedule despite rivers breaking their banks and plans to evacuate the gateway of Khabarovsk.

The swollen Amur River reached a depth of 910 cm near Komsomolsk-on-Amur on Sunday, with fears it could hit 940cm. 

The second largest city of the Russian Far East faces nervous hours and days to see if its dikes hold back the deluge.

The Amur River rises past 7.35 metres in Khabarovsk city, with Komsomolsk-on-Amur, and Nikolayevsk-on-Amur also braced for new flooding.

Russian president changes his midnight address to honour the bombing victims in Volgograd - and eliminate terrorists.

Russian army in battle to erect dikes to hold back the swirling Amur River as evacuations begin in low-lying areas.

Warnings of worse rain for the rest of the week came on Wednesday as evacuation of 30 settlements was planned by the authorities.

Meanwhile, Emergencies' Minister vows better space monitoring of flooding as plans underway to stop a repeat of 2013 crisis.

Defences were breached in Komsomolsk-on-Amur engulfing several villages, as forced evacuation rise.

Putin fires top official in Russian Far East, and calls for Investigative Committee to check how authorities performing.