A thick blanket of snow has covered large parts of Russia as winter grips the country, but this year’s snowfall has reached historic levels.
Russia’s national weather service says a 146-year-old record has been broken, with heavy snow covering Moscow and several other regions.
In Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, powerful winter storms continue to bury towns and roads under unusually deep snow.
Authorities report that some areas have received several months’ worth of snowfall within just a few days, making it one of the harshest winters the region has faced in recent years.
Although Kamchatka is known for its long winters, active volcanoes, and extreme weather, this season’s snowfall has exceeded historical averages. Emergency services have issued warnings and stepped up snow-clearing efforts as conditions worsen.
Photos and videos from the region show vehicles nearly submerged, building entrances blocked by massive snowdrifts, and residents digging tunnels simply to get out of their homes.
Experts say the extreme snowfall is being driven by repeated cyclonic systems over the Pacific Ocean, which are pulling in large amounts of moisture. When this moisture meets Kamchatka’s freezing air and rugged terrain, it turns into relentless heavy snowfall, worsened further by the region’s geography.
