Criminal proceedings were opened in Odesa after the death of 10 people during the natural disaster
After the natural disaster in Odesa on September 30, as a result of which 10 people died, law enforcement officers began an investigation. Criminal proceedings were opened based on the fact of official negligence, which led to the death of people. This was reported by the spokeswoman of the Odesa Regional Prosecutor’s Office, Inna Verba.
As part of the investigation, the possible involvement of officials of the Odesa City Council, its structural and individual units is being checked. It is about improper maintenance of the drainage system and failure to take measures to ensure proper drainage.
“ Now a complex of investigative and operational measures aimed at collecting the necessary materials for their investigation as part of criminal proceedings is underway”, Inna Verba noted.
The case is being investigated under Part 3 of Art. 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — official negligence that caused the death of people. The prescribed punishment is up to eight years of imprisonment with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for a period of up to three years.
Let us remind you that on September 30, almost two months’ worth of precipitation fell in Odesa. The hydrometeorological center of the Black and Azov Seas has declared a red level of danger. During the day, 94 mm of precipitation fell in the city, of which 73 mm fell in the afternoon. This is the second indicator in the history of observations after the record on September 20, 2016, when 113 mm was recorded. Ten people died as a result of the bad weather, including a family of five.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba to conduct a full review of actions in the city and all circumstances that could have led to the tragedy. According to Kuleba, more than 380 people were rescued during the downpour. Search operations have been completed, emergency recovery operations are ongoing. Oleksandr Kharlov, the first deputy head of the Odesa OVA, reported that the preliminary losses from the natural disaster amounted to about one hundred million hryvnias.
