Forest ‘firestorm’ kills one, destroys homes in central Russia | Inquirer ºÚÁÏÉç

ºÚÁÏÉç

Forest ‘firestorm’ kills one, destroys homes in central Russia

/ 10:47 PM July 10, 2021

Russia map

Russia (Image from Google Maps)

MOSCOW — Russian firefighters used water-carrying planes on Saturday to contain forest fires that tore through the central region of Chelyabinsk, killing one man and destroying dozens of village homes, authorities said.

Hundreds of residents were evacuated on Friday as strong winds complicated efforts to control the blaze, which spread across 14,000 hectares (35,000 acres) in the area some 1,500 kilometres (930 miles) east of the capital, Moscow.

Article continues after this advertisement

“The fire was spreading at a speed of more than 150 metres (490 feet) per minute – that’s a huge speed. It was a firestorm, a burst that was impossible to put out,” the country’s deputy emergencies minister, Ilya Denisov, was quoted as saying by the TASS news agency.

FEATURED STORIES

READ: Iranian exiles protest, demand prosecution of president-elect

At least 18 people needed medical assistance and one 78-year-old man who refused to leave his home with other evacuated villagers was later found dead, Russian news agencies reported. Nearly 50 houses were destroyed.

Article continues after this advertisement

Denisov said firefighters had eventually managed to get most of the blazes under control and contain them.

Article continues after this advertisement

An Ilyushin IL-76 air tanker and other aircraft were brought in to douse the flames.

Article continues after this advertisement

President Vladimir Putin spoke by telephone with the region’s governor and ordered him to find a way to rebuild the homes that were destroyed, the Kremlin said in a statement.

Russia has been hit with huge forest fires in recent years, including in far-flung remote regions.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the and acknowledge that I have read the .

MOST READ
www
entertainment
www
entertainment
globalnation
TAGS:

No tags found for this post.
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the and acknowledge that I have read the .

© Copyright 1997-2024 ºÚÁÏÉç | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies.