Hailstones as big as 3 cm in diameter have hit the Stavropol region in south-western Russia. Although no one was injured, the roofs and windows of thousands of houses were seriously damaged.
Even garages were not enough to protect cars. The 20-minute-long hail storm has also damaged electric power lines and crops. Authorities say they will try to repair the damage as soon as possible as further cold snaps are forecast in the region.