ROSTOV-ON-DON, February 02, (ITAR-TASS). The police have cleared the federal highway, where heavy snowfall kept motionless dozens of vehicles, press service of the local police reports.
Snow drifts are still being removed from roads.
Meanwhile, about 50 heavy trucks remain stuck on M-4 federal highway, press service of the local emergency situations department said. Rescuers help out drivers whose vehicles would not start.
The local authorities have organised five stations, where passengers and drivers may have food and get warm. The stations are organised in local hotels and offer assistance to up to 200 people at a time. Four more mobile stations, which may serve up to 600 people at a time are organised along the roads.
The Rostov region introduced the emergency situation regime on January 30. However, gradually, the road clearing vehicles leave central highways for minor roads, where the snowfalls also have seized many vehicles. The regional governor said should it be necessary the rescuers may use aviation. Over the mission to clear the federal roads, the emergency service assisted 1,771, dug out 422 vehicles, the aviation evacuated nine people, where three people were taken to hospitals in Rostov-on-Don.
Russia’s Minister of emergency situations Vladimir Puchkov monitors situation in the southern regions hit by unusual snowfalls and frosts.