RUSSIA: UNUSALLY HEAVY SHOWERS CAUSE FLOODS IN MOSCOW

Record ID: 646505

  • Title: RUSSIA: UNUSALLY HEAVY SHOWERS CAUSE FLOODS IN MOSCOW
  • Date: 15th July 2003
  • Summary: (U6) MOSCOW, RUSSIA (JULY 13, 2003) (REUTERS) CARS TRYING TO DRIVE THROUGH WATER IN THE TUNNEL TWO CARS STUCK IN WATER CLOSE-UP OF DRIVER ON TOP OF HIS CAR TROLLEY BUSES LINED UP (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ALEXANDER, TROLLEY DRIVER SAYING "The rain was so heavy that it brought traffic to a standstill. The water level is high and we can't pass though it because we work on electricity and this could cause a short circuit. We have waited for two hours already and don't know how much longer we will have to wait." WORKERS PREPARING TO PUMP WATER FROM TUNNEL VARIOUS TREES ON THE GROUND WORKERS RESTORING DAMAGED BILLBOARD TREES BLOCKING ROAD KREMLIN WITH BROKEN TREES ON THE GROUND Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 30th July 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: Weather
  • Reuters ID: LVAD4924ETEH69V6K4HUYS14SSNT
  • Story Text: Unusually heavy showers have hit Moscow flooding streets and underground passages and bringing road traffic to a standstill.
    The thunderstorm hit the Russian capital late in the afternoon on Sunday (July 13, 2003) taking many Muscovites, both pedestrians and drivers, by surprise. The rain and wind were so hard that streets and tunnels were flooded and trees were knocked down.
    Traffic came to a standstill on nearly every city street and public transport lined up unable to pass through the heavily flooded areas. Many drivers were stuck in the water and had to wait for trucks to pull them out.
    "The rain was so heavy that it brought traffic to a standstill," said a trolleybus driver who had been waiting for two hours near the flooded tunnel in central Moscow.
    "The water level is high and we can't pass though it because we work on electricity and this could cause short circuit," he added.
    Meanwhile city workers were getting their equipment ready to pump out water from the flooded areas. There were no reports on deaths or casualties in the city.
    It has been an unusually damp and rainy summer this year in Russia and such floods may be set to continue.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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