Moscow and its suburbs were hit by a powerful storm with rain and hail that killed one person and injured four others on Friday. The capital had not seen a storm of such magnitude in almost 100 years, according to meteorologists.
“In less than 12 hours the city expects 15-20 mm of rainfall, which is almost a third of the monthly norm. The daily maximum precipitation for June 30 is 22.3 mm, it was marked in 1923,” Moscow weather services told TASS, adding that the capital hasn’t seen a storm like this in 94 years.
Muscovites were awed by apocalyptically overcast skies just before the storm.
“This post is for those who forgot their umbrellas at home,” one person wrote.
The winds could reach 24mps, according to the Moscow emergency services, which advised people to stay at home.
Blitzortung.org website, which provides lightning and thunderstorm information in real time, released a map of the Moscow storm online.
Some parts of the city were battered with quite sizeable hail.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin confirmed on Twitter that at least one person had been killed and four injured in the storm, adding that the strong wind toppled some 1,200 trees in the capital.
Muscovites did not lose their sense of humor in the storm. “It’s nice when ice for cocktails is falling from the sky,” one person wrote.
One of the hashtags launched was #ливеньвека (#downpourofcentury).
“And this is called ‘Summer!’” another person wrote with some bitterness.
At least eight passenger planes which were due to arrive in Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo airports, had to land in Domodedovo airport which was the least affected by the storm, an official from State ATM Corporation, an air navigation service, told RIA Novosti. Two more planes had to divert to St. Petersburg and Kazan, the official added.
Around 4,400 people were left without power in Moscow and Moscow Region on Friday, the Energy Ministry said in a statement.
With streets flooded across the city, a video emerged apparently showing a Moscow man tackling the waters in his inflatable boat. He was wearing fishing gear and even took his fishing rod with him, apparently hoping for a catch.