Down
to -50C: Russians freeze to death as strongest-in-decades winter hits
(PHOTOS)
RIA Novosti / Aleksey Malgavko
RIA Novosti / Aleksey Malgavko
RIA Novosti / Aleksey Malgavko
RIA Novosti / Aleksey Malgavko
RIA Novosti / Yakov Andreev
RIA Novosti / Aleksey Malgavko
RIA Novosti / Aleksandr Kryazhev
RIA Novosti / Aleksandr Kryazhev
RIA Novosti / Yakov Andreev
RIA Novosti / Aleksey Malgavko
RIA Novosti / Aleksandr Kryazhev
RIA Novosti / Aleksandr Kryazhev
RT,
18
December, 2012
Russia
is enduring its harshest winter in over 70 years, with temperatures
plunging as low as -50 degrees Celsius. Dozens of people have already
died, and almost 150 have been hospitalized.
The
country has not witnessed such a long cold spell since 1938,
meteorologists said, with temperatures 10 to 15 degrees lower than
the seasonal norm all over Russia.
Across
the country, 45 people have died due to the cold, and 266 have been
taken to hospitals. In total, 542 people were injured due to the
freezing temperatures, RIA Novosti reported.
The
Moscow region saw temperatures of -17 to -18 degrees Celsius on
Wednesday, and the record cold temperatures are expected to linger
for at least three more days. Thermometers in Siberia touched -50
degrees Celsius, which is also abnormal for December.
RIA Novosti / Aleksey Malgavko
The
Emergency Ministry has issued warnings in 15 regions, which have been
put on high alert over possible disruptions of communication and
power.
Across
the country, heat pipelines have broken down due to the cold. In
southeastern Russia’s Samara, the cold has broken down many heat
pipelines, leaving hundreds of homes without heating, including an
orphanage and a rest house. Many schools and kindergartens have been
closed for almost a week.
The
cold spell, along with snowfalls, has disrupted flights all over the
country, and led to huge traffic jams. In the southern city of
Rostov-on-Don some highways were closed due to snowfalls over the
past two days, triggering a traffic collapse.
RIA Novosti / Aleksey Malgavko
More cold in the capital
Over
the weekend, meteorologists predict temperatures will plunge even
lower in the Moscow region, hitting -25. The Russian capital is also
expected to be swept with snow, RIA Novosti reported.
Temperatures
have been 7 degrees lower than the norm for five days already, which
is considered an anomaly, according to the Meteonovosti.ru website.
The cold spell in the Moscow region is expected to continue for at
least three more days.
Due
to the high humidity, these freezing temperatures will feel even
colder than they actually are, meteorologists explained.
RIA Novosti / Aleksey Malgavko
RIA Novosti / Aleksey Malgavko
RIA Novosti / Yakov Andreev
RIA Novosti / Aleksey Malgavko
RIA Novosti / Aleksandr Kryazhev
RIA Novosti / Aleksandr Kryazhev
RIA Novosti / Yakov Andreev
RIA Novosti / Aleksey Malgavko
RIA Novosti / Aleksandr Kryazhev
RIA Novosti / Aleksandr Kryazhev
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