Russia's Prosecutor General’s Office says weather forecasters are partly responsible for the deaths of 16 people during a storm in Moscow this summer.
Around 200 people were injured and more than 30,000 trees and 2,000 cars were damaged after gale force winds swept across Moscow on May 29, according to the prosecutors’ estimates, cited by the Kommersant business daily.
"One of the causes of the disaster’s catastrophic consequences was an inaccurate forecast" by the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, or Rosgidromet, a spokesperson for the Prosecutor General’s Office was cited as saying.
The department falls under the Environment Ministry, and prosecutors have asked Environment Minister Sergei Donskoi to work towards the “higher accuracy of forecasts on dangerous weather phenomena,” the prosecutors' spokesman, Alexander Kurennoi, said.
Moscow suffered several unexpected storms this summer, leading some officials to call for harsher measures against forecasters for inaccurate predictions.
After being "soaked to the bone," Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the head of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR), called for Russia's Hydrometeorological Center to be disbanded.
"Even I saw the black cloud coming," he said. "While we all look at the sky through our windows, they are probably having lunch."
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
