Kharkiv region hit by severe weather: deaths, injuries, infrastructure damage, and train delays

Heavy bad weather – downpour, hail and gusts of wind up to 20 meters per second – covered Kharkiv and the region in the evening of July 12. It caused the death of a woman, at least five injuries, delays in rail transport and significant damage to infrastructure. This was reported by Kharkiv OVA, State Emergency Service and Ukrzaliznytsia.

For information Oleg Sinegubov, head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, a tree fell on a 7-year-old girl in Kharkiv’s Osnovyansky district, and she was hospitalized. In addition, three people were injured as a result of the collapse of the roof of a private house in the Saltiv district. A tree fell on a 56-year-old woman in the village of Pershotravneve of the Zmiiv community, and she died. Later, it became known about another case: in the Shevchenkiv district of Kharkiv, a tree fell on a passenger car, injuring a 51-year-old man.

Synegubov emphasized that heavy rains, hail and gusts of wind caused the fall of electrical poles and massive destruction of roofs. In the city, a significant number of fallen trees, interruptions with electricity and water supply due to the blackout of pumping stations were recorded.

Rescuers work in an intensified mode. As of the north in Kharkiv and the region, 171 employees of the State Emergency Service, 38 units of equipment, as well as a unit of the local fire brigade from the village of Pisochyn were involved. The regional authorities urge citizens not to approach fallen trees and power lines and to remain cautious on the streets.

Weather conditions also seriously affected rail traffic. Due to gusty gusts of wind, hail and downpour, which accompanied the natural disaster, there was a partial power outage in the region, and the railway connection suffered serious complications. “Ukrzaliznytsia” reported about the delays of a number of long-distance trains — in particular, routes No. 65/66 Kharkiv – Uman and No. 165/166 Kharkiv – Cherkasy, which are more than two hours behind schedule. There are also delays on routes to Lviv, Odesa and Izyum.

Despite the problem, not a single flight has been canceled — trains continue to run using reserve diesel locomotives, in particular in the direction of Merefa. Actual changes in the schedule are available on the company’s official website.