A city in Russia’s Far East has been placed on high alert following a recent spike in bear sightings and a tragic incident where a woman was killed by a predator. Authorities in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a regional capital on the remote Kamchatka Peninsula, have scrambled emergency services after receiving multiple reports from citizens encountering the wild animals within urban areas.
The heightened state of readiness was triggered by a fatal attack this week that left one woman dead and two others injured. In response, local government has reinforced operational groups dedicated to handling wildlife threats in the city. A 24/7 coordinated effort between police and all emergency services is now in effect to ensure a rapid exchange of information and immediate action against potential dangers, aiming to swiftly mitigate the consequences of human-bear encounters.
Special attention is being directed toward protecting the city’s youngest residents. The administration has ordered leadership at all preschools and schools to intensify security and surveillance of their surrounding territories. Additionally, schools and kindergartens will hold urgent parent meetings to reiterate safety precautions and emphasize the critical need for supervising children when they are outdoors.
The decision to implement the special regime came directly after a bear attacked three people in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The animal responsible for the assault was shot and killed at the scene. One of the victims, a woman who sustained severe injuries during the mauling, later succumbed to her wounds in the intensive care unit of a local hospital.