Winter Cyclone Devastates Kamchatka: Cities Under Snow Siege

A powerful winter storm struck Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula late Tuesday, covering entire neighborhoods in snow, triggering urban avalanches, and compelling officials to utilize their fleet of vehicles as an ad hoc taxi service in the regional capital.

The city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and the town of Vilyuchinsk, located on the southeastern edge of the peninsula, were hit the hardest, with 39 millimeters (1.5 inches) of precipitation recorded in under 24 hours, as reported by the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

The significant Pacific cyclone paralyzed life in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, leading to the suspension of public transport and residents describing their situation as being “entirely buried” beneath snow drifts that reached the second floor.

The mayor’s office declared school closures until the end of the week, effectively prolonging the New Year break for children.

Due to standard buses being unable to traverse the snow drifts, the local administration sent out several high-clearance off-road vehicles to transport residents along the main thoroughfares of the city.

Governor Vladimir Solodov reported that heating and electricity were maintained in most areas, despite strains on the power grid.

State-operated news sources mentioned that hurricane-force winds shattered windows in multiple apartment buildings, damaged parked cars, and tore the roof off a private residence.

Fortunately, there have been no reported injuries or fatalities.

In one instance, the heavy snowfall necessitated that paramedics carry a patient nearly 1,000 yards to reach an ambulance, according to the news outlet Govorit Nemoskva.

Meteorologists anticipate that a second cyclone could strike the shores of Kamchatka as early as Wednesday evening.