"The Storm of the Century": 500 Settlements Damaged, 36 People Injured

The Emergency Ministry informs about consequences of the storm.

The Belarusians call the storm of the July 13 "the storm of the century".

According to operative data, on July 13 510 settlements in 26 districts of Vitsebsk, Homel, Hrodna, Minsk and Mahilyeu regions and Minsk city suffered from a thunder storm (gust of wind up to 21 m/sec).

Roofs of 622 houses, 13 community facilities, 6 industrial and 89 agricultural buildings are damaged, two water towers collapsed in Natalyevsk and Pekalin villages (Chervenski and Smalyavichy districts).

4.250 cases of falling trees are registered in Vitsebsk, Mahilyeu and Minsk regions and in Minsk 3.611 of them fell on vehicles. Recovery operations were implemented by employees of the Emergency Ministry and other organizations. 16 sections of roads with a total length of 4.1 km were cleared up. 36 people asked for medical treatment (7 of them were taken to hospital).

There were two damaged surface low-pressure gas pipelines in Lutskaulyany village, Hrodna district, and in Chyzheuskikh Str. in Minsk.

"Aircraft, industrial buildings, and ground handling facilities are damaged at the Minsk National Airport," the Emergency Ministry informs.

Heavy precipitation in Minsk, Hrodna and the Hrodna district, as well as in Navahrudak, Hrodna region, and the Dzyarzhynsk district, Minsk region, caused flooding of 8 private courtyards, basements of five high-rise residential buildings and the Hrodna regional cardiology health center.

45 road sections were flooded, 28 emergency traffic interruptions (total duration - 1.5 hour) were fixed in Minsk. Operation of vital infrastructures was not damaged.

To eliminate effects of the flooding emergency crews were used.

Due to disconnection of contact wire lines trains had to stop 26 times. The delay made up from 15 minutes to 2 hours and 35 minutes. The normal train service was restored at 10 pm.

At 3"15 pm it was reported about the emergency power cutoff at Astravy water catchment area in Plebantsy village, Minsk district. Water supply shortage was fixed in Leninski, Zavadski, Kastrychnitski, and Partsizanski districts of the capital. At 00.30 on July 14 the water supply was restored.

According to GPO Belenergo from 6.00 am on July 13 to 6.00 am on July 14, 1.126 settlements and 141 agricultural buildings across the country faced energy supply shortage. Emergency crews rectify problems. As of 6.00 am, July 14, 187 residential areas and 12 agricultural buildings remain without electricity.

Recovery operations are implemented. The Emergency Ministry takes a constant monitoring of the situation, the department informs.