Defense ministry deploys 1,000 troops to remove snow

January 9, Pozirk. Belarus’ defense ministry said it had deployed more than 1,000 troops and more than 20 military and special vehicles to remove snow with an additional 200 vehicles being on standby.

The emergency management ministry has deployed 1,700 personnel across the country. The interior ministry said it deployed police officers and troops as well, but did not specify any numbers.

The Belarusian leader’s press office has released a video of Alaksandar Łukašenka shoveling snow.

The Biełenerha electricity company said its engineers are working at 11 localities to restore power.

Snow depth widened by 22 centimeters on average within 24 hours from 8 a.m. on January 8 to 8 a.m. on January 9. The Mahiloŭ region reported the highest water equivalent of snow—31 liters per square meter, which makes up 79 percent of the average monthly precipitation.

In Minsk, snow depth widened from 19 to 32 cm.

Severe snowstorms disrupted the power supply in 251 settlements overnight, leaving 997 transformer substations and 30 farms without electricity.

Power outages were primarily reported in the Viciebsk, Minsk and Homiel regions as blizzards, strong winds and fallen trees damaged power lines, officials said.

The weather services issued a red alert for eastern Belarus for today. Biełhidramiet is expecting less snow and lower temperatures in the coming days.

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Snowstorm aftermath: traffic disruptions, power outages in 250 towns

January 9, Pozirk. Rescuers helped tow more than 100 vehicles, including ambulances, buses and trucks, as Belarus keeps dealing with the consequences of snowstorms that hit the country in the past few days, the emergency situations ministry reports. Gusty winds …

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