"At 6 p.m. [15:00 GMT on Saturday], a strong wind knocked down a large number of trees near Lake Yalchik. It’s a favorite vacation spot… A campground was set up. There were up to 500 cars. The number of deaths confirmed as of today is seven people, including three children," the head of the republic’s civil defense committee, Alexandr Malkin, told reporters on Saturday.
Malkin added that 15 people injured as a result of the storm at the Yalchik beach have been taken to hospitals.
The search and rescue operation will continue on Sunday morning.
Around 36,000 consumers are without power in Mari El due to the strong storm that hit the Yalchik area on Saturday, according to regional authorities.