One person has died and several injured as violent winds felled hundreds of trees, downed flights and damaged power lines in Moscow.
A tree crashed onto electric power lines, injuring five and killing one according to the city’s Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.
The disaster yesterday came as airports in Russia were forced to delay dozens of flights and more than 2,000 trees fell in heavy snow and strong winds in the capital but the region’s Valery Chkalov Cup motorcross event went ahead as planned today.
Motorcycle riders competed in the Valery Chkalov Cup in the city of Mytishchi near Moscow today as the region was hit with heavy snow and wind
A digger clears snow from Red Square after the weather caused a fatal disaster than also injured several people yesterday with authorities warning the conditions will worsen
People were pictured crossing a bridge in Moscow as extreme weather that looks set to worsen brought snow, sleet and power shortages to the capital and surrounding region
Federal agency police were seen struggling through the snow in the capital as flights were delayed and cancelled across the Russian capital
Officers were seen braving the freezing conditions with their trademark ushanka hats as emergency services warned people to stay off the roads during the icy weather
Mayor Sergei Sobyanin today warned on Twitter that the weather is set to ‘worsen’, as this morning it was revealed that 109 flights had been delayed and 28 cancelled, according to Sputnik.
Today he tweeted: ‘Five people have already been injured. Be careful, forecasts say the weather will worsen.’
Yesterday more than 100 flights were delayed and 11 cancelled as Moscow experienced half a month’s worth of rain in just 24 hours, according to Fobos weather centre.
A man wraps up warm as he walks past a statue of Zabivaka – the country’s official 2018 FIFA World Cup mascot – in Manezhnaya Square, downtown Moscow
A woman was pictured walking her pet in the city’s Botanical Garden as heavy snow and winds brought power outages, flight delays and cancellations
A worker carrying a shovel walks past a 2018 FIFA World Cup in Manezhnaya Square as snow brought havoc to the Russian capital
On the ground, drivers face hazardous conditions as the authorities advised people to stay off the roads in the icy conditions.
Snapped power lines brought power outages to about 5,200 people as heavy snow brought chaos to residents in and around Moscow.
Pictures showed emergency services deploying diggers to shovel through snow in Red Square as families battled through low visibility caused by the gusts.
As federal agency police braced the freezing temperatures with trademark ushanka hats, civilians were seen snapping selfies and attempting to shield their heads from the cold with plastic bags.
Tourists snap a selfie in front of the Kremlin as freezing conditions brought chaos to the capital, leaving thousands without power
This man opted for a plastic bag instead of the traditional ushenka favoured by the police as he braved the capital’s freezing conditions
Drivers were warned to stay off the roads as the city centre’s Red Square was covered in ice and snow and windy brought power lines down across Moscow
A woman walks through the Botanical Garden in heavy snowfall in the capital as people struggled to negotiate large snowdrifts in Russia