Shagan: Village trapped by rain and groundwater
Baku settlements – Shagan submerged in water
These people in rubber boots, wading knee-deep in water, are residents of Shagan. Following heavy rains last month, the streets of this village on the outskirts of Baku have yet to dry. For a month and a half, not only the streets but also homes and yards have remained submerged under water.
Capital suburb with no sewer system
Shagan, one of the oldest villages on the outskirts of Baku, later gained the status of a settlement. According to official data from the local executive authority in 2023, the population of this settlement, which belongs to the Khazar district of the capital, is 4,348 people. However, residents claim that the number of unregistered inhabitants in the area is twice the official figure.
Over the past 10–15 years, the settlement has grown significantly. People, mostly from other regions, who moved to the capital have built many houses in the area of the settlement where there used to be a lake, which has since dried up.
However, the settlement still lacks a centralized sewer system. Instead, residents rely on well-type toilets, which are only cleaned during the summer months. As a result, during the rainy season, sewage and groundwater mix with rainwater, flooding streets and homes.
‘God, help these people’
On some inner streets of Shagan, warning tapes with the word ‘Stop’ have been put up, indicating that the water in these areas is too deep for pedestrians to pass. However, life doesn’t stop beyond the warning tape—residents are forced to live in flooded houses on submerged streets.
“In the evening, it rained. I prayed until morning, saying, ‘God, please help these people,” says an old man, pointing in the direction he came from.
Nemyat Nuriyev has been living in Shagan for over 10 years. He says that when he first moved here, he couldn’t have imagined anything like this. The first time he saw what happens in Shagan during the rain, he regretted moving here, but now he has nowhere else to go.
“This area collects water from Mardakan, Buzovna, and all of Shagan, and there’s nowhere for it to flow. It’s not just rainwater. Groundwater, wastewater from baths, and septic tanks also flow here. We are raising our children in such conditions. Those who can afford it leave and rent housing elsewhere, while those who cannot live here. We carry our children to school and kindergarten on our backs. When someone gets sick, we carry them out the same way. When the ambulance arrives, it waits near the Sahil market and doesn’t come here,” Nemyat says, as he walks toward his car, which he parked on the outskirts of the settlement to keep it from sinking in the water.
‘Where would I get enough money to rent flat and leave this place?’
Another resident of the settlement, Fatma Mamedova, says that after last month’s rains, her daughter’s house became uninhabitable. She had to move her daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren into her own home. However, her own house is also in poor condition.
“Look at the condition of my son’s house today, over there. Our car, worth several thousand manats, is sitting in water, and the water has started leaking inside. We are a poor family. I don’t know who to share our problems with. Every house’s yard is flooded. Many people leave their homes and rent elsewhere. Where can I go? How can I afford 400-500 manats ($250-300) per month for rent?”
According to Fatma, the government agencies they turn to take no steps to resolve the issue once and for all.
“No one cares about us. Not a single authority listens to us. Emergency Services fire trucks came and pumped out water for ten days, then left everything and went away.”
‘I’ll celebrate my 70th birthday in water’
“Today is my 70th birthday. God willing, we’ll celebrate it in water” says Jafar Mamedov, husband of Fatma’s aunt.
“This is the situation we’re in. What else can I say? Our problems don’t concern anyone. We’ve gone to all the organizations and departments. We go to the executive authority, but we can’t find anyone there. We go to the ‘water management,’ ask for a vehicle to pump out the water, and they refuse. Right now, I need a water pump; it’s sitting there, but it’s not pumping water. I approach the person and ask him to pump the water from our yard, and he says he hasn’t received such an order. What am I supposed to do next?” Jafar Mamedov complains.
One water pump for entire village
The executive authority of the Khazar district told the media that within its capacity, it had cleared the area of rainwate and appealed to the State Water Resources Agency with a request to continue the work.
According to the state agency, drainage work is currently underway in the village of Shagan.
However, during our visit to the village, we witnessed that only one machine was carrying out water drainage work, and it was only in the center of the village. On the more remote streets, there was no equipment, and no work was being done.
Local media report that the state agency did not respond at all to questions about installing a sewage system in the village of Shagan.
Baku settlements – Shagan submerged in water
