Vitebsk residents help utility workers clear snow from courtyards

Vitebsk residents are helping utility workers clear the aftermath of the snowfall, Denis Glutkin, head of the ideological work department of the Vitebsk City Executive Committee, told a BELTA correspondent.

The cyclone "Haver" brought heavy precipitation to the regional center. All available equipment is involved in clearing snowdrifts. Central streets of the city are being cleared first to ensure stable operation of transport. Streets and courtyards are also being cleared. At the same time, citizens are assisting utility workers by helping to clear the adjacent territories and clear passages. Car owners are clearing snow around their vehicles.

Denis Glutkin called on all Vitebsk residents to help eliminate the consequences of the blizzard. "Every hand is needed now, any help will be extremely timely," he emphasized.

Meanwhile, not everyone has shown understanding in the current situation, noted Vasily Pavlyuchkov, head of the Vitebsk Tram and Trolleybus Department. According to him, due to the huge amount of snow, special equipment cannot always clear the snow-covered curb lanes in time, which complicates the approach of trolleybuses to stops and disrupts the rhythm of movement. This situation is exacerbated by irresponsible car owners who leave their cars on the roads, practically in the second lane, which become a serious obstacle for public transport. "To continue moving, we have to search for the owners of these cars or use our own technical assistance vehicles," stated Vasily Pavlyuchkov. At the same time, trams in the regional center are currently moving with slight delays, but generally without disruptions, he added.

The head of the agitation and propaganda department of the traffic police of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee's Internal Affairs Directorate, Olesya Seregina, urged all car owners to take the difficult weather conditions very seriously. In Vitebsk alone, 35 minor traffic accidents occurred due to the snowstorm over the past day. Two accidents with casualties were recorded in the region during this period.