MOSCOW, August 15 (Itar-Tass) — More than 20 people have suffered because of a heavy hail which hit the Kemerovo region on Tuesday, the press service of the Kemerovo department for emergency situations told Itar-Tass by telephone.
A heavy rain followed by hail which continued in the south of the Kemerovo region, in particular, in the towns of Mezdurechensk and Myski, for merely 15 miniutes on Tuesday injured 21 people and damaged many cars and real estate facilities. More than 60 people have lodged complaints, saying their cars parked on open grounds were damaged. Luckily, none of the victims needs hospital treatment, the press service said.
The economic losses inflicted by the hail on owners of non-insured cars and real estate might be recompensed at the expense of funds of the regional budget, Kemerovo regional governor Aman Tuleyev declared on Wednesday. Tuleyev has instructed to set up two regional commissions to size up the damages caused by the hail "drops" as large as a chicken egg. The commissions are to decide on compensations to citizens who had their property and non-insured cars damaged as a result of the natural calamity.
Meanwhile, the Kemerovo department for emergency situations has warned about possible squalls, rain, hail and an abrupt change in air temperatures which might drop to a freezing point in a number of towns because of the approaching cold cyclones. Managers of all levels and the population have been instructed to verify weather forecasts every day and take the necessary precaution measures in case of possible emergencies and accidents.