Hundreds hospitalized with frostbite because of anomalous cold in Russia

Such unusually cold winter in the central region of Russia was registered in 1978-1979

The frost in the Moscow region has been getting harder. Electric wires burst because of incredibly low temperatures. The severe frost has paralyzed electric-powered city transport and suburban trains; the number of car accidents has increased considerably.

The number of news messages about the damaged power lines continues to grow every hour. Many suburban trains have been canceled because of the damaged breaks, Interfax reports.

About 1,500 car accidents have been registered in Moscow during the recent 24 hours. Two people have been killed and 20 injured as a result of the accidents.

Today's morning temperature in Moscow was registered on the level of 30 degrees below zero. It is a little warmer in the center of the city, although regional temperatures reach 32 degrees of cold. Daytime temperatures make up 26-28 degrees below zero. The cold is expected to hit the lowest point on Thursday, January 19, when the Orthodox Christians celebrate the holiday of Epiphany: 33-38 degrees below zero.

Such unusually cold winter in the central region of Russia was registered in 1978-1979, when winter temperatures dropped to 40 degrees.

Homeless people do not rush to take vacant beds in the city's shelters in spite of the cold. “There are 1,550 beds for the homeless in Moscow. About 660 of them are vacant at the moment,” a Moscow official Lyudmila Shvetsova said. The Moscow authorities prepared special posters and information leaflets for the homeless. The instructions were distributed in the Moscow metro and all subways of the city, Interfax reports. The official added that eleven people froze to death in the streets of Moscow since the beginning of the new year.

The  situation in other regions of Russia is much more serious because of the anomalous cold. Hundreds of people have been hospitalized with frostbite during the day. Many heating stations and electric power supply enterprises went out of order. School classes have been canceled because of the severe cold. A large number of small provincial settlements have been left without hot water and electricity when the frosts damaged local heating plants.

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