Russian floods kill at least 150

Russia on Sunday was reeling from devastating flash floods in its southern Krasnodar region where at least 150 people were killed and 29,000 remained without power in the region's worst natural disaster in history.

Russian President Vladimir Putin personally inspected the worst-hit areas on Saturday evening, comparing the force of the water that trapped people in their homes at night and ripped up pavements and traffic lights and flooded rail tracks to a "tsunami".

Putin also ordered investigators to find out if enough had been done to prevent the flooding deaths after flying to the region to deal with the first big disaster of his new presidency. He said money would be put aside to build new homes for victims of the worst flooding in decades in Krasnodar, a relatively rich region with agriculture and tourism industries.