Head of Russia’s EMERCOM Vladimir Puchkov is convinced new construction should be prohibited fully in flood-hazardous zones. “Decisions of the kind should be made by local governments and should be binding,” he said in an interview with Itar-Tass on Saturday. Besides, “people should leave places, where annual high waters are of high probability.” “In Russia, traditionally much housing has been constructed near the water, and quite often in the territories with possible high waters. The houses should be protected properly depending on the economic and social peculiarities of every settlement,” he said.