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Epic storm lashes Barnaul, with crane crashing on to city’s main wedding palace

By The Siberian Times reporter
25 June 2018

Hero crane operator died preventing heavy load falling on cars and pedestrians, while floating restaurant with 120 on board cut loose its moorings in Ob River.

It left the city almost totally without electricity and caused water supply shortages. Picture: Vyacheslav Postnikov

These dramatic pictures captured a powerful - and sudden - storm that engulfed the Siberian city late on Saturday. 

It left the city almost totally without electricity and caused water supply shortages. 

Traffic lights failed, and trees, fences, billboards smashed.

Crane falling down the Lenin Avenue. 

A video shows a crane on Lenin Avenue toppling over in the high winds. People had shouted to the operator - called Andrey, 50, to get out. 

With the crane swaying in the storm, he remained at his post and manoeuvred a huge load away from busy Lenin Avenue saving pedestrians and drivers. 

Then the crane itself crashed onto the nearby wedding palace and two cars. 

Crane fell down


Crane fell down


Crane fell down


Crane smashed a car

Then the crane itself crashed onto the nearby wedding palace and two cars. Picture: Instagram

Rescuers pulled the crane operator from his cabin but he died in the ambulance on the way to hospital.

Remarkably, thanks to his action there were no injuries. 

In the Ob River, floating restaurant Baracuda with 120 on board was carried away downstream.

Inside the Baracuda


Bridge support

Passengers of Baracuda are ready for evacuation. Bridge support which the restaurant hit. Pictures: Incident. Barnaul

One diner said: 'First, the wind pulled us to the shore. 

'Then we were carried to the bridge ... hitting a bridge support.’

Later the floating restaurant ran aground and people were evacuated by the emergency services. 

Diners and staff had only minor injuries, mainly cuts from smashed windows.

These dramatic pictures captured a powerful - and sudden - storm that engulfed the Siberian city late on Saturday. Pictures: @go_barnaul, Denis Parkhomovich, Tatiana Tsebrova, Tatiana Bulgakova, Sergey Golovin, @leenavalerevna, Dmitry Karbushev, Elena Odintsova

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Comments (10)

Looks like a wall cloud that is normally seen here in Michigan. Seen a few since I joined the SKYWARN network here as a spotter. This one is massive and one has to watch for any rotation at the base of this cloud formation. Very likely one would have seen this formation during the day in areas into the Central and Southern Plains recently.
Arthur Boyko, Lakeport MI United States
27/05/2019 21:40
0
0
A super cell thunderstorm. I see them on our weather channel. Very dangerous especially if the high and low pressure in the area causes them to remain stationary. In hours of down pouring rain/ hail/raging wind/ lightening strikes . . .too much to believe! Very destructive to property and deadly fir people!
Patricia Gothard, Laguna Woods CA
14/07/2018 14:54
1
0
Such storms are very rare in Siberia but occurs often in Florida in the summer. This is the result of climate change caused by greedy humans. We don't have to guess who they are!
Hans Frankfort, Maitland, FL USA
03/07/2018 00:45
3
8
Dirk, it would be also nice if you could provide links or facts to the post that you write. weather in Russia is - made- only in Moscow. for 2 days when clouds are being seeded out in the countryside to have sunshine, in the City. One day is for the parades on Red Square on Victory day, the end of WW2 for Russia. and this I am not so sure is the 1st of May. To have sunshine for the Holidays. of course, it is not needed every year. And that is good so.
Benedikt MORAK, Moscow
01/07/2018 12:44
0
3
Usually, when you see a cloud formation like that... an alien space ship comes out of it with the intent on destroying earth. These people were really lucky.
Doc, US
30/06/2018 17:14
4
3
Amazing photos! Looks like a monster tornado.
Janet Bodell, USA
29/06/2018 17:55
3
2
Dirk, you are wrong.
Corrector, argentina
27/06/2018 18:26
4
1
This my driends is a clear example of what happens when sertain nations are using so- called reachers devices to see how they can influence the weather for certain áreas on earth. Wihtout consideración of others that live on the same planet.!!!!!!!! Please correct me if I am wrong .
Dirk, Villa Gesell argentina
27/06/2018 07:29
1
15
no photoshop can do what nature can do.
Benedikt MORAK, Moscow
26/06/2018 21:10
11
1

the shape of the cloud is amazing. Thanks for the photos.
Jocelyne, FRANCE
25/06/2018 17:39
13
2
1

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