Severe weather in Odesa: death toll rises to 10
In Odesa, the death toll from the severe weather has risen to 10, and more than 1,000 people have sought assistance.
This was reported by Oleksii Kuleba, Ukraine’s Minister for Communities and Territories Development, who arrived in the city to assess the situation, Censor.NET notes.
"The city is dealing with severe consequences of the natural disaster. Ten people have already died due to the bad weather, including a child," Kuleba said.
The minister said he visited the hardest-hit sites after the downpour and spoke with local residents who lost their property.
"Equipment needed to get through the heating season has also been badly damaged. More than 1,000 people have asked for assistance, due to flooding, fallen trees, power outages and property damage. At this point, around 300 private houses and roughly 400 apartment buildings in the city have been damaged," the statement said.
He added that a special commission has been set up at the Odesa Regional Administration to determine the causes of the tragedy.
As reported earlier, nearly two months’ worth of rain fell in Odesa in seven hours. In Odesa and the surrounding district, nine deaths were initially reported, including a child. It was also reported that a family of five died after being swept away by a wave.
