TEHRAN -- Iranian President Seyed Mohammad Khatami sent a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin expressing his condolences to the Russian government and the people for the lives lost and property destroyed by last week's flood which hit the country.

A massive flood hit southern Russia last week, inflicting heavy property damage and death to 93 people.

Quoting the Russian Ministry for Emergencies, the Interfax news agency on Saturday said that the flood destroyed some 700 houses and rendered homeless about 300,000 people.

The damage caused by the flood, which hit nine southern Russian republics and autonomous provinces, was placed at 12 billion rubles.