A powerful storm pummeled parts of western Russia’s Smolensk region, with strong wind and heavy rain on Thursday evening, leaving thousands without power and downing many trees, including two in the capital city that killed a child and an elderly woman.
Emergency services said the two deaths took place in separate parts of the regional capital of Smolensk, which bore the brunt of the storm as winds reached gusts of up to 20 meters per second (45 miles per hour).
The regional government initially said 15,000 energy customers were left without power as of late Thursday. By Friday, that number more than doubled to 32,500.
While regional Governor Vasily Anokhin established a 24-hour emergency response task force, officials clarified that a formal state of emergency has not been declared.
In total, the severe weather disrupted eight central and western districts surrounding Smolensk, an area encompassing more than half of the region’s 857,000 residents.
Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry warned that heavy rain and wind are expected to continue across the Smolensk region through Friday evening.
Authorities warned residents to stay home if they can and avoid tall trees. Drivers were advised to exercise caution amid low visibility.
