The roof of a block of the Dimitrie Cantemir Secondary School of Mândrești village of Telenești district was pulled away by the high winds of March 11. The slates fell on the roofs of lower blocks of the school, damaging these partially and breaking windows.

Asked by IPN to provide details, the secondary school’s principal Ludmila Bosyi said no lessons were held in the two-story building at that moment. The block risks being further damaged if it rains heavily. The commission for emergencies determined that 160,000 lei is needed for building materials alone. The sum is twice higher if the value of the necessary works is also taken into account. The roof cannot be restored and needs to be adjusted to the new requirements. Several more hundred thousand lei is needed for replacing the damaged windows and things. An approach to the district council will be made based on the damage assessment document.

Ludmila Bosyi noted that when the wind blew the strongest, the children were outside for the big recess. Fortunately, the slates pulled by the wind fell behind the school and no one was hurt.

According to the General Inspectorate for Emergencies, the high winds destroyed the roofs of seven houses in Cobusca Veche village of Anenii Noi district, with the roof of the local school being damaged. Mayor Laurențiu Perju has told IPN that over 5,000 lei was allocated for repaying the school’s roof. As to the private homes, the owners will repair these at their own expense.

The winds also damages the roofs of education institutions in Larga, Drepcăuți and Cotiujeni villages of Briceni district. Damage was also reported in the districts of Balti, Sângerei, Soroca, Orhei, Dondușeni, Criuleni, Edineț, and Ocnița. The local commissions for emergencies are gauging the extent of the caused damage.

The number of vegetation fires increased as result of the high winds. A number of 97 vegetation fires that affected 338 hectares of land occurred in Moldova yesterday and last night.