About 120 people were rescued from snow captivity by employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Vitebsk region

Около 120 человек спасли из снежного плена сотрудники МЧС Витебской области

 

About 120 people were rescued from snowdrifts by the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) employees of the Vitebsk region, the Vitebsk Regional MES Department informed a BELTA correspondent.

From 11 a.m. on March 15 to 5 a.m. on March 16, MES workers of the region made about 30 trips to assist people trapped in snowdrifts. The captives of heavy snowfalls were drivers and passengers of cars, buses, and ambulances, totaling about 120 people, including 20 children. None of them were injured. Emergencies were recorded in Chashniki, Sennno, Braslav, Vitebsk, Liozno, Miory, Polotsk, and Tolochin districts.

According to the regional MES department, about 700 units of equipment and over 3.3 thousand employees of the housing and communal services system, as well as other ministries and departments, are currently involved in eliminating the consequences of the cyclone. Five units of the Ministry of Defense equipment are on duty in a state of full readiness. As of 5 a.m. on March 16, traffic on the region's railway lines is not obstructed.

The situation on the region's roads is under control. Equipment from third-party organizations has been additionally involved in clearing highways, noted Adam Konoplich, General Director of the Republican Unitary Enterprise of Automobile Roads "Vitebskavtodor".

Due to adverse weather conditions, the Vitebsk Regional MES Department recommends that drivers refrain from long-distance travel and reminds the public of the need to promptly clear snow from roofs to prevent structural collapses. It is also necessary to clear snow from household areas and roads to ensure unimpeded access for emergency service workers in case of unforeseen situations. In the near future, the Vitebsk region is expected to experience intensified frosts. In this regard, it is also important to remember to observe fire safety measures when operating stoves and electrical appliances, the department added.