1 dead, five injured as heavy snowfall batters Moscow

Moscow: One person died and five were injured as heavy snowfall hit Moscow for the second day in a row, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Sunday.

The Mayor said on Twitter that the casualties were caused by fallen trees and damaged power lines due to the meteorological disaster, Xinhua news agency reported.

“According to operational data, the number of fallen trees caused by snow and ice exceeded 2,000. The number of injured Muscovites, fortunately, did not increase. All services work in the maximally enhanced mode,” Sobyanin said.

The ongoing heavy snowfall, reportedly the worst in six months, has also led to the delay or cancellation of dozens of flights in Moscow.

According to the Sputnik news agency, over 100 flights were delayed and over 10 were cancelled in major airports in Moscow.

Governor of the Moscow Region Andrei Vorobiev has declared a state of emergency in the region and ordered all traffic management services to work in the emergency mode and clean up the snow on roads to avoid any disastrous situations, said the regional government on Instagram.

—IANS