Astana hit by snowstorm
Astana, Kazakhstan: Snowfall in Astana and snowstorms on Tuesday, grounding planes and disrupting traffic in the capital city and other parts of the vast Central Asian country.
Flights have been canceled to smaller town of the country from Astana airports and Emergency services are at high alert.
The emergency situations committee said that a bus travelling from the Russian city of Omsk to Astana turned onto its side outside the Kazakh capital but no serious injuries were reported. In what authorities called an “incredible blizzard”, Christmas trees in the city of more than 800,000 were felled by the gales. Airport officials told AFP that several domestic and international flights had been delayed.
Ministry for Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan also said that Akmola region is also hit by snowstorm with wind gusting up to 25 meters per second.