Russian Far East snowstorm knocks out power, closes schools

Sep 27, 2011, 11:40 GMT

Moscow - A snowstorm slamming into Russia's Far Eastern provinces knocked out power, shut down roads and forced dozens of schools to close their doors, according to Tuesday news reports.

The Pacific Ocean port city Magadan was at the centre of a cold weather cyclone bringing freezing temperatures and winds gusting in excess of 100 kilometres an hour, the Interfax news agency reported.

Winds and blowing snow downed high power lines throughout the region, and area emergency response crews were struggling to restore electricity to hundreds of homes, an Emergency Situations Ministry statement said.

The city airport was unable to operate for much of the morning as clearing equipment could not keep up with falling snow.

Flights were taking place in the afternoon but authorities were warning of another possible shutdown once temperatures dropped and snowfall intensified on Tuesday evening.

Some smaller villages near the Magadan were isolated because overflowing rivers prevented ferries from operating. School sessions for all grades throughout the region were cancelled.

Major roads leading from the city were blocked by blowing snow and minimal visibility. Police were preventing most vehicles from traveling outside Magadan.

Weathermen were predicting the poor weather would continue through Friday, with heavy rains during daytime hours and substantial snows at night.

Authorities were recommending sportsmen cancel fishing and hunting expeditions until the storm had passed.

The earliest Autumn snowfall on record in Russia's Magadan region took place on September 15 in 2001.

Late September snow is uncommon but far from unheard of in the Magadan territory, which is one of Russia's wettest due to prevailing winds and its proximity to the Sea of Okhotsk.