More than 1,000 passengers have been stranded in an airport on Russia's far eastern island of Sakhalin after a severe blizzard forced the airport to close down on Tuesday.
Information posted Wednesday on the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport's website said 1,100 passengers were still awaiting departure while another 660 people waited to arrive. Two incoming flights were redirected to airports in Khabarovsk and Vladivostok.
The airport will be closed until Thursday morning due to the harsh winter weather, which has made it impossible to clear the runway, the statement said.
Photos posted to the airport's website show a terminal fully enveloped by the blizzard, with vehicles barely visible against the onslaught of snow.
The snowstorm also caused power outages in several villages across the region on Wednesday, according to a statement on the website of the Emergency Situation Ministry's regional branch.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
