Three people, two adults and 11-year old child, were killed when extreme weather hit the city of Odesa on Oct. 12-13, Ukraine’s State Emergencies Service has reported on its official website.
The adults were killed by fallen trees, while the child died after being electrocuted by dangling broken power lines.
The governor of Odesa Oblast, Mikheil Saakashvili, declared a state of emergency in the region early in the morning of Oct. 13.
“Despite the difficult conditions, rescue crews are working to restore electricity supplies,” Saakashvili wrote at midnight on Oct. 13. “Tomorrow I intend to visit all areas to oversee the repair work.”
The governor also called for the cancelation of classes in schools and universities, and encouraged the public to stay at home, except for emergency services workers and those residents who provides vital services in the storm-hit areas.
The State Emergencies Service reported that the wind had felled around 90 trees in Odesa city and oblast, and left 151 towns and villages without power. Heavy rain flooded several streets in the city of Odesa, affecting seven residential buildings and 55 private houses.
The Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center on Oct. 13 warned that it expected more strong wind and heavy rain across the country. The worst weather conditions are expected to be in Chernyvetska, Dnipropetrovska and Poltavska oblasts overnight, and in Vinnitska and Kirovogradka oblasts at night and in the morning of Oct. 14.
The press service of State Emergencies Service in Zaporizhzhya Oblast told the Interfax news agency on Oct. 13 that the cyclone that caused the storm in Odesa was moving towards Zaporizhzhya, where strong winds have already downed six trees.
The State Emergencies Service has warned people to avoid walking under large trees and to stay away from billboards and power lines, as these could be damaged by the predicted gusty weather.
