Yesterday evening’s heavy showers with hail destroyed extensive areas of crop fields and damaged sections of local roads. The high winds, as a day earlier, downed trees and branches and pulled away slates from roofs of houses, schools and kindergartens. A series of settlements remained in the darkness, IPN reports.

The General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations said that the rescuers dealt with over 40 emergencies in central and northern Moldova, taking away downed branches and trees and pumping water out of basements and yards. The most serious damage was caused in the districts of Edineț, Soroca, Dondușeni, Râșcani, and Drochia, in such localities as Terebna, Cupcini, Viișoara, Brânzeni, Chetroșica, Bleșteni, Burlănești and Ruseni, Bădiceni, Hristici.

Wheat and corn fields and apple orchards were severely damaged in a part of these localities, as were roofs of schools, kindergartens, storehouses, mayor’s offices, houses of culture and a temporary placement center for persons with disabilities.

A number of settlements experienced power outages. On Thursday morning, 51 localities in ten districts were still disconnected from the power supply.

No one was hurt as a result of the tempests. The extent of the damage caused by the elements is to be gauged by local commissions for exceptional situations.

The State Weather Service said the atmospheric instability is due to a cold front crossing Moldova. The southwestern wind is expected to intensify during the forecast thunderstorms. Daytime temperatures will vary between +20 and +25 degrees Celsius, while at night the temperatures will decline to +16..+21 degrees Celsius.