Weather apocalypse in Moscow: trams stopped, lightning struck Ostankino Tower

On the afternoon of July 15, Moscow was hit by a heavy rainstorm with thunder and lightning. Due to the tropical rainfall, many streets and underground parking lots were flooded, and traffic was partially paralyzed. Details can be found in the Izvestia article.

Heavy rains in Moscow on July 15

A storm warning was issued in the capital region on July 15, and a tropical downpour with thunder and lightning covered the capital in the afternoon.

Forecasters warned that hail could fall in some areas, and winds would increase to gale force levels. According to the forecast of Evgeny Tishkovets, a specialist at the PHOBOS Weather Center, it will be stormy for the next 24 hours with short breaks. According to him, up to 20 liters of rainwater per square meter will fall in the capital today.

Due to an abnormal downpour and the subsequent technical malfunction, Aeroexpress trains to Sheremetyevo Airport stopped for almost an hour.

Due to a severe thunderstorm, the lights went out at the MCD-1 Beskudnikovo station, and the Technopark metro station and the Rizhskaya BKL station were flooded. In this regard, there were disruptions in the movement of trains in different directions of the subway.

In addition, the Aerial Tramway cable car at VDNKh was stopped until the disaster subsided.

Huge puddles formed on the highways. Part of the Nagatinskaya embankment and the street in the Tulskaya metro area were flooded. Buses and cars sailed along Dmitrov highway and near the metro station "Altufevo". According to Deptrans, local delays of ground transportation are possible due to weather conditions. Some routes can be changed quickly.

Lightning struck near the Ostankino Tower in Moscow. Video of the thunderstorm is posted by eyewitnesses on social networks. The footage shows how the discharge descended several times to the houses near the facility. The press service of the Ostankino Tower, in an interview with TASS, stated that the facility was operating normally and explained that during its construction, specialists took into account the likelihood of lightning, so they equipped it with a lightning protection system.

Heavy rains flooded a smoking room for employees and journalists in the State Duma building on Okhotny Ryad, and parking in the Dmitrovsky Park residential complex went under water.

Consequences of heavy rains in Moscow on July 14

In the morning, the consequences of the rampant disaster that had occurred the day before were being eliminated in the capital region and neighboring regions. On the evening of July 14, a record amount of precipitation fell on Moscow. Cars were sinking, the lower floors of buildings were flooded, water was seeping even through the roofs of high-rise buildings. Some household plots were practically washed away by streams.

But the most serious consequences were seen in the Tula region, where a lightning strike killed three people at once, and several others were injured. It is known about five burnt-out houses in the capital and the Moscow region. In Dubna, eyewitnesses filmed how the electricity went out in a large block due to lightning, but the power supply was quickly restored.

As Tatiana Pozdnyakova, a leading specialist at the Meteonosti news agency, told Izvestia, residents of Moscow and the Moscow region will face unstable weather with short-term precipitation almost throughout the week. According to the leading expert, "almost every day, with the possible exception of Thursday, we will have weather with short-term rains." Heavy precipitation and thunderstorms are forecast in some places, especially on Tuesday, when "thunderstorm activity will still develop."

How to save a car during a heavy downpour

During tropical downpours, when the sea floods on the roads, drivers risk getting hit by a car. It occurs when water enters the engine, then a strong pressure surge occurs, and the car stalls.

If water gets into the interior or engine compartment, the car needs to be completely dried, explained auto expert Igor Morzharetto.

According to him, if the car stalls in a puddle, you do not need to try to start it again — you can damage important parts. The car needs to be pulled out of the water as soon as possible and protected from the weather.