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Strong winds with gusts of up to 24 m/s that swept across Belarus on Aug. 22 caused damage to buildings, felled trees and disrupted power supplies.
According to the Emergencies Ministry reported, roofs of one residential building, eight agricultural buildings and two administrative buildings were damaged in the Hrodna region. In the Minsk region, the roofs of one residential and two agricultural buildings were damaged.
Two children in the Minsk region were injured by falling trees. Near Niasvizh, a boy born in 2014 was injured and hospitalized. Near the village of Markoushchyna in Minsk District, a boy born in 2016 was injured. After receiving medical treatment, he was sent for outpatient care.
A total of 488 cases of fallen trees were recorded — 27 in the Brest region, 59 in the Vitsyebsk region, 134 in the Hrodna region, 233 in the Minsk region, eight in the Mahiliou region and 27 in Minsk. Fallen trees damaged 15 passenger cars. The Emergencies Ministry continues to monitor the situation.
The bad weather also caused power outages. According to the Energy Ministry reported, as of midnight on Aug. 23, 179 communities, 338 transformer substations and five farms remained without electricity.
Restoration work was underway on 35 10 kV power lines, five 35 kV lines and two 110 kV lines. Energy workers were also handling 824 requests concerning 0.4 kV networks. A total of 146 emergency repair crews, 182 vehicles and 52 diesel generator units were involved in the work.
Minskenergo reported that five communities in the Minsk and Vileyka districts remained without electricity. In addition, crews were sent to the Hrodna region to provide assistance, as it was the region hardest hit by Cyclone “Priska.”
About 90 crews and the same number of pieces of special equipment are working to restore power in the Hrodna region. Specialists from other regional power systems have arrived to assist local energy workers. More than 20 diesel and gasoline generators have also been used. The main power lines in the Hrodna region have already been restored, while crews continue to respond to residents’ requests concerning 0.4 kV networks, Hrodnaenergo reported.
Energy workers are operating around the clock until power supplies are fully restored. Residents are warned not to approach downed wires closer than 8 meters. Damage to power lines should be reported by calling 115 or 144.