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Record Snowfall in Russia's Kamchatka Buries Neighborhoods – Residents Dig Tunnels to Enter Homes

Published January 19, 2026, 07:19
Record Snowfall in Russia's Kamchatka Buries Neighborhoods – Residents Dig Tunnels to Enter Homes

Record-breaking snowfall is impacting Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, with snow depths reaching 1.5 to 2 meters in many areas. Entire neighborhoods have been buried under the snow, resulting in school closures and disruptions to public transportation. Two people have died from avalanches and the collapse of snow from roofs. Authorities have declared a state of emergency in the capital and surrounding areas. Residents are forced to dig through the snow to be able to leave their homes, as the snow reaches heights of several meters. The blizzard is the worst to hit the region in the last 30 years. The snowfall is caused by low-pressure systems forming in the Sea of Okhotsk that have swept across Kamchatka and the Far East, bringing strong winds and record snow.