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Over 2,000 settlements in 16 Regions without power as of bad weather, snowdrifts reach up to 2m

Traffic is hampered in Cherkasy, Odesa, Kirovohrad and Mykolayiv Regions. 

Over 2,000 settlements in 16 Regions without power as of bad weather, snowdrifts reach up to 2m
Odesa Region
Photo: sources

As a result of the bad weather, traffic is blocked on 14 roads in Ukraine, and there are power outages in 16 Regions.

The most difficult situation is in the north and south of In Odesa Region, with snow depths of up to one and a half metres. Rescuers, police, national guardsmen, and border guards are involved in dealing with the consequences of the bad weather, Interior Minister Klymenko said on Telegram.

"Near the village of Udobne, border guards evacuated 42 people from buses, including 10 children. Rescuers used a snowmobile to rescue 6 people on the Izmayil-Reni highway," he said.

More than 500 vehicles were towed away, including 14 buses and 12 emergency vehicles. A total of 1,624 people, including 93 children, were rescued. Six people were treated for signs of hypothermia.

In Mykolayiv Region, traffic is blocked on 10 road sections, with snowdrifts of up to two metres. The State Emergency Service was called to deal with the weather 49 times, and 75 vehicles were towed away.

Traffic is hampered in the Cherkasy Region near the town of Kamenka. Police organised traffic in the reverse mode, and about 40 trucks were stopped for a while. Rescuers have set up mobile heating stations.

In Kirovohrad Region, a traffic jam has been cleared near the village of Velyka Vyska, with 30 trucks standing on the roadside. 164 vehicles have been towed away and 293 people have been rescued.

"As a result of the bad weather, a total of 2,019 settlements in 16 Regions of Ukraine are without power, 1,370 trucks are in temporary storage, and 840 vehicles have been towed away," the statement said.

Klymenko urged drivers to avoid travelling to regions where the weather is bad. If you need help, call the emergency services 101 and 102. There are also Unbreakable Points and mobile heating stations in the regions. 

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