Snowdrifts in Eastern Kazakhstan

Ust-Kamenogorsk, March 24, 2010 (Khabar) - Flooding is continued in the south of East Kazakhstani region and snowstorms rage in Ust-Kamenogorsk. All the roads are closed for trafficking and the road services clean the snowdrifts and rescue people from snow captivity. It was snowing on Monday and temperature at night was -17. Snowdrift on the area of route Ust-Kamenogorsk-Zyryanovsk is 4-6 meters. On March 22, the long column of cars was caught into snow captivity on the auto road Semey-Kainar. The road services and rescuers helped them to go out of snowdrifts by the morning. People were evacuated and warmed. And ambulance car was also taken out of snowstorm near Leninka village. Woman in childbirth was put to landrover and hospitalized in Ust-Kamenogorsk. Later the doctors said childbirth was a success.

Alexandr Dementyev, deputy director of “Kazakhavtodor” republican state enterprise:
- People work for several days and sometimes we don’t see them for 5-6 days. They work on the roads. Their wives and mothers phone us and demand to return their husbands and sons. And we can’t do this, because life of people on the road is most important.

Alexandr Dyagilev, grader operator:
- We work 2-3 people. The roads are covered with snow during the night though we clean them in the afternoon. And sometimes the snow covers the road during one hour.

On Tuesday, some areas of republican roads were opened for trafficking. But snow-cleaning machinery is still on duty. It is reported anti-cyclone is approaching to Eastern Kazakhstan and the last week of March will be rather cold. And weather forecasters predict snow, snowstorm and cold weather.