OREANDA-NEWS. June 29, 2007.  Natural calamities struck the southern part of the Sverdlovsk Region on the night of 26/27 June. A thunderstorm and squally winds uprooted trees over the gas pipeline in Krasnogorsk district of Kamensk-Uralsky and damaged a pipeline connection between houses. Emergency and control personnel of OJSC Urals Gas Networks (unit of GAZEKS holding company, IES-Holding) rushed to the scene and upon identifying no gas leak had occurred decided not to cut off the gas supplies to the households. Repairmen have started rehabilitation of the deformed section. The gas pipeline supports will be restored by 1 p.m. local time on 27 June.

Squally winds knocked down the same night a part of the roof of a two-apartment house in the village of Kunara in Bogdanovich district with no casualties reported. A torn-off asbestos slate damaged the gas pipeline lead-in. By 11 a.m. on 27 June, the lead-in had already been repaired and the gas supplies for the house had been resumed.

The gas suppliers rely on an Automated Gas Distribution Management System for prompt location of damaged sites, even in adverse weather conditions.