Russian Pacific Seaport Slammed by Winter Storm

[senorpepr]

VLADIVOSTOK, November 26 (Itar-Tass) - Airport of the city of Vladivostok in the Russian Far East has been closed due to blizzard and thunderstorm on Friday.

The passenger plane flying en route Dalian (China)-Vladivostok has been diverted to Khabarovsk.
A heavy snowstorm and ice in the streets paralyzed the city. The wind velocity reached 25-30 meters per second.
Head of the public relations department of the Vlad-Avia air carrier managing the Vladivostok airport Alexander Alexeyev told Itar-Tass that snow-cleaning vehicles will be able to start clearing the runway only after the snowstorm subsides.

Weathermen said the blizzard would stop only on November 27 by noon, after that the region would be hit by bitter frosts.

A powerful cyclone brought snow and torrential winds to the Primorye (Maritime) territory on Friday morning. Storm warning has been announced in coastal areas. All the ships that were at sea have taken refuge at safe bays.

A heavy snowstorm and ice in the streets paralyzed the city of Vladivostok in the Russian Far East Friday. All school classes were cancelled and a storm warning announced.

Although a hundred snow-cleaning vehicles were engaged in city streets, many residents were late to work in the morning because of traffic jams and numerous road accidents.

The weather is expected to deteriorate in the afternoon and the local administration requested employers to let their staff go home earlier than usual.

The snowstorm hit the whole region. In the south and east the wind reached the speed of 22 meters per second. Weathermen predicted a precipitation of 25 mm in Vladivostok.

The snowstorm is expected to end on Saturday and bitter frosts are to follow.