The capital city of Far East Russia’s Amur region was blanketed under heavy snow on Wednesday, in what officials are calling the “blizzard of the century.”
Authorities in Blagoveshchensk declared a state of emergency after a total of 36 millimeters of precipitation — or roughly 36cm (14 inches) of snow on the ground — had fallen in the city since Monday. That amount of snowfall beat the city’s previous single-day record of 18 millimeters set in 1935.
“This level of snowfall hasn’t been seen here in 100 years,” city authorities in Blagoveshchensk said.
Amur region Governor Vasily Orlov canceled all public events and suspended dozens of bus routes. He also urged employers to follow schools and universities in switching to remote work.
Although flights at Blagoveshchensk airport remain operational, authorities warned of potential delays.
Meteorologists reported up to 66 millimeters of precipitation across parts of Russia’s Far East, including the Jewish Autonomous Region, with snowbanks in the Amur region reaching a record 38 centimeters (15 inches) — well above the November average of 4 centimeters.
The blizzard is expected to continue through Thursday, with emergency services predicting it may not subside until Friday.
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