Wind of change

Southern Russia attacked by Hurricane Fion

The authorities of almost all regions of southern Russia yesterday began calculating the damage from a powerful hurricane that raged on their territory, as soon as it became clear, since March 4. The consequences of the hurricane turned out to be so large-scale that local rescuers, following the example of their American colleagues, even gave it their own name - “Fion”. As a result of the rampant disaster, nine people were injured; the authorities are still speaking very cautiously about material losses. Based on preliminary data alone, the damage is estimated at hundreds of millions of rubles.

However, there is no talk yet of a return to normal life in most regions affected by hurricane winds. In Kalmykia, the Rostov, Astrakhan and Volgograd regions and the Stavropol Territory, the emergency regime introduced at the end of last week is still not lifted. On March 10-11, a storm warning was again announced across the entire south of Russia. True, this time meteorologists were afraid not so much of powerful winds as of sudden temperature changes - from plus 10 to minus 18 - with a new wave of precipitation. This may threaten massive icing of communications and roofs of buildings and, as a consequence, new mass accidents.

The hurricane began on Friday, but the main blow of the disaster fell on March 7-8, when the wind force reached 120 km/h, and snowfall literally covered entire settlements. The disaster hit Stavropol and the republics of the North Caucasus the hardest, where the bad weather intensified the mountainous terrain. According to specialists from the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia for the Stavropol Territory, in the mountains, already covered with snow, up to 70 mm of precipitation fell during these days. The Apanasenkovsky, Budennovsky, Blagodarnensky, Petrovsky, Novoaleksandrovsky, Ipatovsky districts, as well as the cities of Stavropol and Mikhailovsk, suffered the most from the bad weather in the Stavropol Territory.

In the Rostov region on Saturday, up to 29 mm of precipitation fell in just a few hours, which, according to forecasters, is 2/3 of the monthly norm. As a result of the damage to the power lines, the power supply to about 60 settlements was interrupted. Until yesterday evening, six farms in the Zavetinsky district remained without electricity. In addition, the wind blew off the roofs of two hospitals, three schools, a kindergarten and 68 private homes.

They are eliminating the consequences of the disaster and preparing for a new one in the Volgograd and Astrakhan regions. Since Saturday, local energy and utility workers have been working in emergency mode. Last weekend, hurricane winds and snow caused massive accidents on roads and ruptures of 94 km of overhead power lines. In Volgograd, 41 power lines and 355 transformer substations were disconnected. By Saturday afternoon, 68 settlements in the region had lost power. By the evening of March 4, utility workers managed to restore power supply to only 13 of them. The work of power engineers was hampered not only by strong gusty winds, but also by snow drifts on the roads. By Sunday evening, more than 30 settlements remained without power.

The blow of a hurricane wind - with a speed of up to 25 m/s - in the Astrakhan region occurred at 14--15 hours on March 4. There were 16 villages left without electricity.

And on March 8, the elements darkened the holiday for residents of North Ossetia and Ingushetia. The hurricane wind, whose speed reached 120 km/h, dealt the most powerful blow in Vladikavkaz - the roofs of 400 buildings were damaged there, and more than 500 electrical accidents occurred. In addition, broken power lines cut off power to several city water intakes. This led to the cessation of water supply to a number of neighborhoods. By Thursday evening, about 90 thousand people were still without electricity and water.

As the North Ossetian Ministry of Emergency Situations told Vremya Novostey, on Wednesday at about one o’clock in the afternoon in the capital of the republic, the sky turned black and a strong wind blew. It was scary not only on the streets, but also in the houses - trees, fragments of billboards and torn off roofs broke windows and doors. Fires broke out in some places - the wind fanned the fire with incredible speed, and rescue service dispatchers did not have time to respond to calls from local residents.

The city's hospitals found themselves in the most difficult situation. The power of autonomous power generators was only enough for them to provide light in the intensive care unit. In the main hospital of the republic, the wind tore the roof off a 7-story building. Throughout the night of Thursday, rescuers evacuated patients from the upper “bleeded” floors - weather forecasters promised heavy snow and rain in the wake of the hurricane. The roof of the Printing House building was also completely demolished. In addition, the hurricane damaged telephone communications with three districts of the republic - Alagirsky, Digorsky, and Prigorodny. By the morning of March 9, the wind died down, the sky cleared, and citizens saw fallen trees, traffic lights, billboards, torn down road signs, and broken glass in buildings on the city streets. Nine people were injured as a result of falling trees. Four who received serious injuries were hospitalized, five received medical assistance on the spot.

Yesterday morning, the head of the government of North Ossetia, Alexander Merkulov, headed the headquarters for eliminating the consequences of the hurricane, calculating damage and paying compensation. In Vladikavkaz, tram service has resumed and the airport has opened. But classes in some universities and schools, which were deprived of light and water by the elements, were cancelled. In kindergartens left without water or electricity, children were given dry rations.

As the head of the administration of Vladikavkaz, Kazbek Pagiev, said yesterday, a total of 1,643 people and 185 pieces of equipment were involved in eliminating the consequences of the hurricane. Yesterday no one dared to predict how much time and effort it would take to completely eliminate the consequences of the disaster.

On March 8, a hurricane also hit the resort of Sochi. The day before, the city had experienced dry, warm weather (during the day the air warmed up to plus 20), and therefore the wind immediately raised sand, dust and pollen from subtropical plants already blooming here. According to eyewitnesses, at 16.00 in Sochi it suddenly became dark as late in the evening. People who found themselves on the street at that moment pressed themselves against the walls of houses, fleeing from branches and fragments of plastic roofing and advertising billboards flying from everywhere, covering their faces with handkerchiefs - otherwise it was impossible to breathe.

The disaster raged in Sochi for only half an hour, and the consequences of its rampant elimination took more than a day - many wire breaks occurred in hard-to-reach places. In the center of Sochi, strong winds damaged the antennas on the 180-meter tower of the radio and television transmitting center (RTTC). Broadcasting of the main television channels was interrupted in Sochi for half a day, but by 14:00 everything was restored.

Meanwhile, meteorologists yesterday gave disappointing forecasts. On March 9-10, a storm warning was again announced in the south of Russia. Wind gusts of up to 20-25 m/s, sleet, and a storm were expected on the coast. Sharp temperature changes from plus 10 to minus 12 (in the north of the Astrakhan region up to minus 18 degrees), according to experts, can lead to snow sticking to the wires, their icing and numerous gusts. Due to the accumulated wet snow, as reported by the Ministry of Emergency Situations, roof collapses may occur. An alarming forecast was also given for Kalmykia. Snowfall and strong gusty winds will also hit the region in the coming days. Meanwhile, 19 settlements remain without power supply in the republic for the fifth day.

Igor GLANIN, Sochi, Tatiana GRITSENKO