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Main restoration works almost finalized after meteorite fall

The Chelyabinsk Region was mostly affected, where about 1,500 people turned for medical aid

MOSCOW, February 20 (Itar-Tass) – The main restoration works are almost finalized after the meteorite fall in the Chelyabinsk Region, Russian Minister of Emergency Situations Vladimir Puchkov told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.

The meteorite shower was reported in the morning on February 15 in six Russian regions, including the Tyumen, Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk, Kurgan Regions and Bashkortostan. The Chelyabinsk Region was mostly affected, where about 1,500 people turned for medical aid. The glasses were broken down in thousands of buildings.

“Now the situation has stabilized, the second stage of restoration works is finalized, the resources are used from neighbouring Sverdlovsk and Tyumen regions,” the minister said, noting that “the works to put new glasses in the windows are almost over.”

The minister noted that the governmental committee will hold a meeting on February 21 to sum up the results of the main restoration works.

“At the third stage the full restoration of the social infrastructure will begin. The governmental committee has taken the decision, which the governor supported, to replace not only the broken windows in the affected buildings, but also the undamaged windows,” the minister explained, noting this will be already the scheduled work.

Commenting on the reports that the Chelyabinsk region has the deficit of glasses and glass men, the minister said, “At the initial period it is impossible even technically to restore such a large number of broken windows, stained-glass windows and showcases.” “But I note that for the first few days all thermal lines were plugged, for this purpose polyethylene, cardboard and many other handy materials were used,” the minister remarked.

Meanwhile, additional fire-fighting and rescue forces, public security units were dispatched for all damaged social facilities.