MOSCOW, November 27. /TASS/. The death toll from hurricane-force winds and mass flooding inundating southern Russian regions along the Black Sea coast has grown to four. Almost two million people have been left without power, according to local authorities.
Water supply and public transportation have been disrupted in some areas, while train service has been restored. Authorities are working to deal with the aftermath of the severe weather conditions affecting southern Russia and are preparing to brave the worsening weather that weathermen and emergency services warn about.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is not yet planning a trip to the affected regions, but he is "always ready" to travel there, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
TASS has highlighted the key takeaways regarding the hazardous weather now affecting wide swathes of southern Russia.
What's happening
- Four people have died due to adverse weather in Crimea, the authorities said. Three people were hospitalized in Sevastopol, while another seven people were injured in Yevpatoria, Crimea, with two requiring hospitalization. At least five more people were injured in the Krasnodar Region.
- About 500,000 residents of Crimea and 2,600 residents of Sevastopol were left without electricity. Crimea’s Chernomorsky District and the Teplaya Balka District in Yalta suffered from total power and heat outages.
- In Yevpatoria the sea overran its banks with waves reaching 1.5 meters high. As many as 311 people, including 43 children, were evacuated from private residences. As well, 100 people were evacuated from the Hotel Ribera. Two temporary accommodation centers have been opened, and one more is ready to accommodate more local residents.
- Forty houses in the village of Georgievskoye near Kerch were cut off by floodwaters from the rest of the peninsula.
- Gale-force winds in Sevastopol damaged the roofs of over 40 houses, as well as facades. Falling trees and structural elements damaged 42 cars.
- Over 500 marine animals were killed when the hall of an aquarium in Sevastopol was flooded.
- The speed of hurricane-force winds in Crimea reached 144 kilometers per hour.
- Waves were reported to be up to seven meters high in the Krasnodar Region. Roofs of residential buildings and schools in a number of Krasnodar Region areas were damaged due to the storm. The wind uprooted more than 250 trees.
- The roof of a five-story building was torn off by the wind in Anapa, with the damaged area covering 500 square meters.
Damage to infrastructure
- About 50 passenger trains were delayed in the Krasnodar Region due to bad weather.
- Traffic was limited on the Simferopol-Yevpatoria highway, as well as the Voinka-Chernomorskoye and Chernomorskoye-Mezhvodnoye highways due to partial flooding. The collapse of a power line also stranded traffic on the Sudak-Alushta highway. The highway between Alushta and Simferopol has been left without electricity.
- Bad weather stranded trolleybuses on the Simferopol-Yalta highway, which have been replaced with buses.
- In Kerch, falling trees damaged power lines and gas pipelines.
- Rail traffic between the Krasnodar Region cities of Tuapse and Adler was disrupted by falling trees.
- A dry cargo barge broke away in the marine port of Yalta, Crimea. As well, the Blue Shark, a dry cargo ship flying the flag of Belize, ran aground near Anapa, Krasnodar Region. According to early reports, the crew was not hurt.
- Ten flights to Sochi were diverted to alternate airfields and have now returned to their points of destination.
Emergency response measures
- An emergency response center is operating in Crimea. Certain Crimean municipalities have declared a state of emergency.
- In Crimea and Sevastopol, Monday has been declared a non-working day due to bad weather. Social institutions, kindergartens, schools and universities will be closed. Classes have been moved to Saturday in Crimea’s Chernomorsky District. Medical and emergency services are continuing to operate.
- Beaches were closed in Sochi for safety reasons.
- The Russian Emergencies Ministry has dispatched an airmobile group of first responders to the Tuapse District to help local residents.
- Altogether, upwards of 1,335 Emergencies Ministry specialists, assisted by 414 units of equipment, are dealing with the aftermath of the severe weather conditions affecting southern Russia.