The Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia’s Far East has been struck by a powerful windstorm that has paralysed the region. Videos circulating online show streets and homes buried under massive amounts of snow.
Buildings Buried in Snow
A viral video shows multi-story residential apartment buildings almost completely buried under enormous snowdrifts. Snow has piled so high that it reaches the second floor, while windows on lower levels are fully blocked or submerged, and doorways are inaccessible without digging.
Residents Dig Tunnels to Escape
People are actively digging tunnels and paths through the deep, compacted snow using shovels and other tools. Narrow passages are being carved through the massive white walls of snow to allow access to buildings and free trapped residents.
Vehicles and Streets Covered
Snow-covered streets and vehicles lie buried under thick layers, with drifts forming near-vertical walls due to strong winds.
Casualties Reported
In the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, at least two people have died after snow fell from rooftops and trapped them, according to The Moscow Times.
Following the first reported death on January 15, Mayor Yevgeny Belyayev declared a citywide state of emergency.
Record-Setting Snowfall
The intense snowfall began around January 12, 2026, driven by a series of powerful cyclones from the Pacific and the Sea of Okhotsk. The storm brought heavy wet snow, strong winds with gusts reaching hurricane-force and blizzard conditions.
Exceptional Weather Conditions
Vera Polyakova, head of Kamchatka’s Hydrometeorology Center, described the snowfall as exceptionally rare,“The last time we saw something like this was over 50 years ago, in the early 1970s. These conditions are exceptionally rare as far as modern observations go.”
