Ten people, including three children, have lost their lives due to a severe storm, which has also left many others injured and without power.
The tragic incident happened on Sunday, July 30. Among the ten victims, eight were part of a tourist group camping near Lake Yalchik in the Mari-El region of central Russia, 600 km east of Moscow.
The storm’s intense winds led to numerous trees falling in the area, resulting in the unfortunate deaths of eight members of the tourist group. Their tents, set up on a wild beach in the Mariy Chodra National Park, were not protection from the storm’s devastating force. Russia’s Emergencies Ministry reported that hundreds of people were camped out when the storm hit.
The regional leader, Yuri Zaitsev, shared the distressing news on social media, highlighting that three children were among the deceased. Following this incident, Russia’s investigative committee has launched a criminal investigation to ascertain if the park’s management company had any part in these fatalities. The committee will probe whether inadequate services or hazardous conditions may have played a role in the tragic event.
The storm’s effects were felt beyond the Mari-El region, impacting the broader Volga Federal District. Emergency services reported that 76 people were injured and up to 100,000 households were left without power.
