A state of emergency was declared in Chisinau following the meteorological conditions and the consequences witnessed on April 20 and based on the forecasts for April 21. The decision was taken in a meeting of the Commission for Emergencies convened by Mayor of Chisinau Dorin Chirtoaca yesterday evening, IPN reports.
Representatives of municipal subdivisions reported hundreds of cases of trees falling on the streets of Chisinau, in yards of apartment buildings, over cars and even over balconies and annexes. Three persons were hospitalized after tree branches fell on them. The fallen trees and branches blocked traffic on a number of streets and damaged power lines. About 100 poles were downed. Rascani district was the most affected.
Green Areas Association head Eliferie Haruta said at least 600 trees fell down in Chisinau, except for parks. The falling trees damaged about 140 vehicles. The Association’s employees will work until midnight and will resume works early in the morning.
According to the director of the Chisinau Electric Transport Company Gheorghe Morgoci, the weather conditions and downed trees generated 28 cases of trolleybus blocking. At two addresses in Botanica district, trolleybus traffic was blocked for up to six hours. In other cases, the units of transport were diverted onto minor roads. The schedule could not be respected. Owing to the danger of more trees falling, access to Saint Lazarus Cemetery was restricted.
Dorin Chirtoaca said that no such situations have been witnessed during the last 120 years of meteorological measurements. There is no yard where at least branches would not fall. Therefore, it will take time to remedy the situation and alleviate the consequences. The mayor instructed that the main arteries and access ways to blocks and education institutions should be unblocked first and that the housing stock managers and dwellers should be mobilized to lend a hand.
The Commission for Emergencies declared April 22 a working day. In the period, teams of the municipal services will deal with the consequences of the snowstorm. To inform about downed trees and other emergencies, the citizens are urged to call on 022-22-22-67; 022-22-26-04; 022-21-27-98, 901 and 902.
According to forecasters, there will be heavy precipitation in the form of snow and sleet, while the northeaster wind will intensify to 22 m/s on April 20 and 21. An orange code warning for heavy snowfalls was issued for the night of April 21, except for the northern districts.
