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Siberian roads clogged by too much snow

By 0 and 0 and 0
10 March 2013

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'I'd say it was the worst day for a traffic in the region in years' Alexei Tolochniy, of Novosibirsk region's traffic police said. Picture: The Siberian Times 

Many other countries - specially the UK - moan about Siberian conditions arriving when there is a mild fall of snow and the roads get snarled up and the trains all stop. 

This is unfair blaming transport chaos on Siberia, since with us things usually run efficiently. 

But, well, sometimes there are problems, the exceptions that prove the rule. This is what happened this weekend on the highway linking Novosibirsk and Kemerovo, and elsewhere in western Siberia.

'Traffic inspectors had to literally stop cars and to beg drivers to go back,' said Alexei Tolochniy, of Novosibirsk region's traffic police.

'The traffic jams were horrendous - the worst situation was on the way from Novosibirsk to Kemerovo. Even the snow ploughs could not get through because of heavy snow, very low visibility and hundreds of cars stuck in the storm. 

'I'd say it was the worst day for a traffic in the region in years.

'The only route that is open now federal M-52 that connects Novosibirsk and Barnaul. There was a car crash involving 20 cars on the road from Novosibirsk to Kolyvan. The situation is slowly getting better now. I know that some drivers spent up to ten hours trying to get out of these gridlocks'.

snowy roads Siberia March 2013


snowy roads Siberia March 2013

'Several dozen cars were caught in the snow. Fire-fighters left to supply fuel to motorists and take out automobiles,' said regional emergency department official, Andrei Kovalenko. Pictures: The Siberian Times 

Fire fighters were deployed to aid motorists on the K-19P highway in the Toguchin district of Novosibirsk Region.

'Several dozen cars were caught in the snow. Fire-fighters left to supply fuel to motorists and take out automobiles,' said regional emergency department official, Andrei Kovalenko.

Traffic was also halted between Novosibirsk and Tomsk. Drivers couldn't move on some roads - but could reach forums to tell of their experiences. 

'We are in Kargata. All is full of snow! Roads are invisible! There is no light!' said one stranded motorist. 

'The Novosibirsk-Karasuk is awful. Road engineers clear the snow. But there is no sense. All is covered,' said another. 

There were other serious incidents. 

Some 80,000 people in Abakan, capital of Khakassia were left without electricity after three days of heavy winds brought down supply cables. 

Cold water supplies were lost for 10,000 people in Khabarovsk after a pipeline failure.

Comments (2)

Marian, this is SPARTA! ))) We often have snowy weather in Siberia, so we get used to. Sometimes we underestimate the power of element. Or you just can go on the road when it is rather sunny and then suddenly....
Eugen, Novokuznetsk
11/03/2013 17:09
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I would not even let the dog out in such weather let alone driving. Siberians!
Marian , Singapore
11/03/2013 09:53
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