- Winter storm paralyzed Kamchatka Peninsula with heavy snow and strong winds
- At least two deaths in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky due to falling snow from roofs
- State of emergency declared for snow removal and emergency resource allocation
A powerful winter storm has paralysed the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia's Far East, burying streets and homes under massive amounts of snow. In the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, at least two people have died after snow fell from rooftops and trapped them, reported the Moscow Times.
Several low-pressure systems that formed in the Sea of Okhotsk have struck Kamchatka and other far-eastern regions of Russia, bringing strong winds and record-breaking snowfall.
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Mayor Yevgeny Belyayev declared a citywide state of emergency shortly after news of the first death on Thursday, so additional resources could be provided for snow removal.
Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations shared a video on social media, showing rescue workers digging out large piles of snow to reach elderly residents trapped in their homes.
Watch Video Here:
Life in Kamchatka has almost come to a standstill due to continuous heavy snowfall and strong winds for several days. Schools are closed and public transport is halted in the capital, while entire neighborhoods are buried in snow.
Meteorologists warned of heavy snowfall, low visibility and wet snow leading to dangerous ice accumulations in parts of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Yelizhovsky districts. Easterly winds are blowing at speeds of 25 to 30 meters per second and temperatures are between 0 and 2 degrees Celsius, making roads slippery and travel dangerous.
Mayor Belyayev criticised property management companies for not removing snow from roofs sooner and simply waiting for the storm to pass.
Kamchatka's Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Lebedev said that a 63-year-old man was buried in snow falling from the roof of a one-story house and that paramedics tried to save him, but they could not succeed in time. Lebedev appealed to people to be alert to large snow piles on roofs, saying snow was now falling off roofs due to rising temperatures.
