Typhoon Bolaven hits Russian Far East, douses remaining forests fires
Typhoon Bolaven has helped firefighters to put out wildfires in the Khabarovsk Region, the local administration says. A total of 11 wildfires were raging in the region’s northeastern areas when the cyclone struck. The ensuing heavy rain enabled fire-fighting brigades to extinguish six wildfires and contain the remaining five within 24 hours. The last pockets of fire were doused on Friday morning.
Typhoon Bolaven helps douse wildfires 
By Natalya Kovalenko
30 August 2012 […] Bolaven typhoon which hit the Russian Far East has also turned into downpours. Bolaven came from the Korean Peninsula where it had broken power transmission lines, destroyed bridges and toppled trees. In South Korea the typhoon claimed 17 lives, dozens of people are missing. Pyongyang traditionally keeps silent about its casualties but it is known that the gusts of wind at a speed of 70 metres a second seriously damaged the crops. When it reached Vladivostok Bolaven had a speed of 35 metres a second. The storm left tens of thousands of people without electricity and water supply and headed for the Khabarovsk Region. Rescue teams worked hectically. Fortunately, there have been no casualties, Yelena Yeriomenko, head of the Emergency Ministry press-service for the Khabarovsk Region told The Voice of Russia: “The typhoon has brought rain to practically the entire territory of the Khabarovsk Region and the wind is gaining strength. Several villages have been cut off the electricity supply, which was actually forecast. A team of engineers is doing repairs and electricity supply is gradually being restored in the villages. There have been no casualty reports, so we can say the typhoon is relatively quiet. Now it is moving northeast to finally subside into the sea.” The elements have turned into heavy rain. The equivalent of a month’s precipitation fell overnight. The city storm sewage did not always manage with the water flow and the road paving has been damaged as a result. As for the forests, they have hugely benefited because the rain has stopped forest fires that had been raging since the middle of the summer. At present, the residents of the Kolyma River region are preparing to meet the typhoon. It will reach those parts within 24 hours as a powerful cyclone bringing downpours. Afterwards, Bolaven will subside into the Sea of Okhotsk. However, meteorologists do not recommend us to relax. Another typhoon, Tembin, is approaching the Far East. At present, it is located over the Korean Peninsula but will reach the Russian coast of the Sea of Japan in two days bringing strong winds and heavy rains.
