Russia's 'snow apocalypse' in pictures

Residents of the Kamchatka Peninsula, including this pedestrian in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, are digging out after the heaviest snowfall in about 30 years. A state of emergency has been in effect for days in the Pacific region, which is often shaken by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Within a few days, the region saw as much snow as usually falls over months, with Russian media referring to a "snow apocalypse." Homes have been covered in snowdrifts up to 5 meters (16.5 feet) high, and in some cases residents were trapped by the masses of snow. Soldiers and students are on duty to help people in need, especially older people.

The snow and ice storms have already claimed lives. According to authorities, two men were killed by masses of snow that crashed down from roofs. Kamchatka, with its many active volcanoes, is famed for extreme natural spectacles: in 2023, after the eruption of the Shiveluch volcano, a blanket of ash covered the already deep snow.

The entrance to this pharmacy was completely snowed in. According to researchers, the extreme conditions are due to cyclones over the Pacific Ocean, which bring with them large amounts of moisture. The cold air and the complex geographical conditions of the peninsula transform the moisture into very heavy snow.

City administrators in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky have urged parents not to let their children out onto the streets, due to the deadly risk of falling snow and icicles. But that didn't deter this family, which took the opportunity to go sledding.

Throughout Russia, Kamchatka residents are considered to be particularly hardy. One video on social media showed a woman opening her window and shoveling snow with a bucket, tipping the icy mass into the bathtub. In another video, men are seen sitting in a car under meters of snow, having dug a long tunnel to reach the vehicle.

At a crisis meeting on the chaos and supply shortages, Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov ordered that important roads and intersections be cleared quickly. The situation is critical, he said. House entrances must be made accessible and garbage must be removed.

The entrance to this supermarket was laboriously cleared. "The temporary shortage of goods in some stores is solely due to the state of the infrastructure," said Solodov. Once access roads and entrances have been cleared, deliveries will once again be possible. Food production, however, has not been affected.

According to the regional government, a manual traffic control system was introduced after the storm. Numerous traffic lights and road signs still need to be cleared of snow; Solodov expects the work to take several more days.

In Moscow, which also saw record amounts of snow earlier this month, people are still working to remove snow from rooftops. And there's no relief in sight: temperatures of around minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus 4 Fahrenheit) are forecast for the Russian capital for the coming week.