First big-city Russian tornado kills 1

The first tornado to hit a major Russian city struck Blagoveshchensk in eastern Russia, killing one person and injuring dozens of others, officials said. The tornado was on the ground for 13 minutes Sunday night in the city of about 220,000 people that borders China, RIA Novosti reported Monday. The report said the tornado caused an estimated $2.9 million in damage and that more than 120 military cadets were assisting in the cleanup. Meteorologist Alexander Golubev said it was the first tornado ever to hit a major Russian city, although a tornado touched down on the outskirts of Ivanovo in 1984 and damaged several farm buildings. Golubev said the likelihood of a tornado striking Blagoveshchensk again any time soon is "minimal."