Hail, hurricane and darkness - Aktobe recovers after the disaster

The Kazakh city of Aktobe is grappling with the aftermath of two consecutive days of extreme weather. Hurricane-force winds swept through the region first, causing widespread destruction by toppling trees, severing power to numerous districts, and damaging buildings. Residents shared footage of the devastation on social media as they began assessing the damage.

Following the windstorm, a severe hailstorm struck the outskirts of Aktobe on the afternoon of June 22. Eyewitnesses described hailstones the size of quail eggs, which reportedly destroyed crops and damaged house facades. One resident lamented that the hail "smashed all the tomatoes; nothing is left of the seedlings," while another reported that "my elderly neighbor's entire wall was battered by the hail."

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It smashed all the tomatoes; nothing is left of the seedlings. My elderly neighbor's entire wall was battered by the hail.

Amidst the recovery efforts, residents like 68-year-old Natalya Chernenko recounted terrifying experiences. A large tree fell onto her house during the hurricane, damaging part of the roof. Chernenko expressed distress after being told by the city administration that residents must clear such debris themselves, despite her inability to manage the cleanup alone.

According to Kazhydromet, wind gusts on June 21 reached speeds of 30 meters per second. The city administration reported that priority was given to clearing roads and sidewalks of fallen trees, with work now extending to courtyards and residential areas. Emergency services and utility companies are working to restore electricity to hundreds of consumers still without power, particularly in the Zarechny residential area. Despite the significant damage, the Aktobe city administration confirmed that no injuries to citizens have been registered.

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I was looking out the window when the hurricane started. Suddenly, I saw the tree falling. It was so terrifying I burst into tears. I called the akimat (city administration) and asked for help to remove the tree, but they told me we have to clear everything ourselves.