ROSTOV-ON-DON, February 03. /ITAR-TASS/. The traffic situation on federal motorways M-4 (Don) and M-23 (Rostov-on-Don-Taganrog- the Ukrainian border) has been normalized after heavy traffic jams caused by an avalanche of snow on the roads last week. The traffic flow is free in all the directions now, the press service of a regional department for Emergency situations told Itar-Tass on Monday.

However, a regular bus service to the city of Mariupol has not be resumed yet because the motorway was not yet cleared of snow where it runs on the Ukrainian territory. The Customs control service on the Russo-Ukrainian border has been operating in a usual regime, the press service said.

Earlier, the situation on the federal motorways in the Rostov-on-Don region had been monitored. Ten special terminals, where heat appliances were available and hot meals were served to people stranded on the motorways, were created in the Rostov on-Don region. A total of 478 vehicles were released from snow traps during five days while the snowfall continued.

Medical assistance was given to 370 people, including 38 who were hospitalized; nine people were evacuated by planes of the Ministry for Emergency Situations, the press service said.

A spell of bitter frost and a heavy snowfall, which were unusual for the region in this time of the year, prompted the regional administration to impose an emergency regime on the territory as of January 30.