Tengrinews.kz — Aktobe is recovering after two days of severe weather. The city was first hit by hurricane-force winds that toppled trees, cut power to entire districts, and tore down structures, followed by heavy hail that damaged gardens and homes. Residents are posting footage of the destruction on social media as they assess the damage, a correspondent reports.
Following yesterday's storm, dozens of courtyards in Aktobe were left buried under branches and tree trunks. According to official data, approximately 100 trees were blown down in the regional center. Hundreds of consumers remain without power, while emergency services continue to work in high-alert mode.
Meanwhile, residents on the outskirts of Aktobe faced a new disaster. On the afternoon of June 22, the area was hit by a severe hailstorm. According to eyewitnesses, the ice stones were the size of quail eggs.
View this post on Instagram
Aktobe residents say the hail destroyed not only crops but also the facades of houses.
"It smashed all the tomatoes; nothing is left of the seedlings. My elderly neighbor's entire wall was battered by the hail," reported the author of one video.
However, residents are still reeling from the events of the previous day. 68-year-old Natalya Chernenko recalls how a mature tree crashed onto her house during the hurricane.
The impact hit an extension, and part of the roof was damaged. The pensioner says she cannot manage the cleanup on her own.
"I was looking out the window when the hurricane started. Suddenly, I saw the tree falling. It was so terrifying I burst into tears. I called the akimat (city administration) and asked for help to remove the tree, but they told me we have to clear everything ourselves," the pensioner complained.
According to Kazhydromet, wind gusts on June 21 reached 30 meters per second. The akimat reported that priority was given to removing trees blocking roads and sidewalks. Work is now continuing in courtyards and residential areas.
Trees that fell onto roadways and sidewalks have already been cleared, and vehicle and pedestrian traffic has been fully restored. Public utility services are currently sawing and hauling away fallen trees. The akimat stated that assistance is also being provided to elderly people living alone and residents of courtyards without property management companies — in these cases, tree removal and site clearing are being organized by the city.
Photo: Tengrinews.kz
The highest number of fallen trees was recorded in the Zhilgorodok and Shanghai districts, which are heavily wooded. There is currently no threat from small architectural structures, signs, or trees. No injuries to citizens have been registered," the Aktobe city administration reported.
Eight teams are restoring street lighting. Overnight, an additional ten teams from Energosistema LLP were deployed. Despite the work completed, some residents remain without electricity.
"Restoration work is currently ongoing at several addresses in the Zarechny residential area and the Zhilgorodok district. On Snayperskaya Street, restoration efforts continued until morning, and power has since been restored. During the peak of the storm, power supply was temporarily restricted for approximately 200 consumers served by the networks of Energosistema LLP and the Aktobe Housing and Communal Services Department," the utility company reported.
Small architectural structures also failed to withstand the elements. Seven objects were damaged. One incident was captured on a video that quickly went viral: a decorative globe was ripped from its mountings and rolled down a central avenue, nearly colliding with cars.
"Animal sculptures along the airport road were toppled. In the city center yesterday, the globe fell. These small architectural forms were literally torn from their anchors. They were cleared away immediately. Those that could be salvaged were reinstalled, while the rest will be repaired," commented Miras Azhibayev, head of the Housing and Communal Services Department of the Astana District Akimat in Aktobe.
According to official data, at least two cases of trees falling on cars were recorded. However, officials warn that if vehicles were parked in unauthorized areas, owners will have to rely solely on insurance payouts.
Fortunately, there were no fatalities. However, Aktobe residents will long remember these two days, as the city was first lashed by hurricane-force winds that left behind broken roofs and dark streets, only to be hammered by large hail that destroyed whatever the elements had spared the day before.
The powerful hurricane that struck Aktobe on the afternoon of June 21 caught residents off guard. Strong winds uprooted trees, and electricity was lost in several parts of the city. Residents claimed they received no emergency alerts regarding the approaching storm.
