More than 20 centimeters of snow blanketed Moscow on Tuesday in the heaviest snowfall this year.
Photo: Yury Martyanov
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Heavy Snowstorm in Moscow Brings Traffic to a Standstill
Heavy snowfall brought traffic on Moscow roads to a gridlock Tuesday night with 12,000 snow-ploughs coming to shovel the snow. Some of the city airports had to shut for incoming flights as the runways were being cleared. Weather forecasters expect another blizzard on Wednesday.
A strong atmospheric front swept through Moscow on Tuesday bringing a large amount of snow to the city, the Russian Hydrometeorological Center reported. As much as 20 centimeters of snow blanketed Moscow by 9 pm.
Russian utilities services say it was the heaviest snowstorm in the two years. About 12,000 snow-ploughs were sent to city streets to fight the aftermath of the fierce blizzard.
Moscow drivers suffered the hardest from the blizzard as well as from snow-ploughs. City police reported twice as many accidents due to severe weather. Traffic jams locked major highways by 7 pm – Yaroslovskoye Shosse, Kashirskoye Shosse and Third Ring Road.
Moscow airports were briefly closed for incoming flights to clear snow. Dozens of flights were delayed.
The blizzard is expected to last with new snowfall coming on Wednesday.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Feb. 14, 2007
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