Dramatic video captured explosions at a Russian military storage site in Siberia that prompted thousands to evacuate the surrounding area.
The explosions, located in Siberia’s Krasnoyarsk region, set off fires and have injured at least eight people so far, according to the Associated Press. Sirens could be heard while residents in the area attempted to flee Monday. The Russian Defense Ministry said the blasts were coming from an ammunition depot that contained “gunpowder charges for artillery shells.”
Video of today’s explosion at an army munition depot near Kamenka, #Krasnoyarsk region, #Russia:pic.twitter.com/Y1WD3DUyOH
— Alex Kokcharov (@AlexKokcharov) August 5, 2019
The evacuation radius is reportedly 12.4 miles from the blast site. Around 1,000 people had already fled from the region by mid-afternoon, and Mayor Ilay Akhmetov of Achinsk said his city’s 100,000 residents were being prepared to evacuate. Air traffic was suspended within an almost 20-mile radius of the blast site.
A Russian state-run news agency quoted an anonymous source that said the site of the explosions held up to 40,000 artillery shells for tank guns.
Evacuation of Kamyanka in Krasnoyarsk Krai https://t.co/q1wfsYPUop pic.twitter.com/iuQdlEIYzX
— Liveuamap (@Liveuamap) August 5, 2019
“Please keep calm” alert warning pic.twitter.com/ArAFm43LMz
— Liveuamap (@Liveuamap) August 5, 2019
