Unusually frequent cyclones attacking Sakhalin in November cause heightened danger of descent of mountain snow avalanches

The unusually frequent oceanic cyclones attacking Sakhalin in November have caused heightened danger of descent of snow avalanches in the mountains.

As RIA Novosti was told at the Sakhalin territorial directorate of the hydrometeorological centre on Thursday, the height of the snow covers in the mountains of Sakhalin exceeds the norm by 1.5-2 times reaching six metres.

About 10,000 avalanche points have been registered in Sakhalin. Avalanches near which settlements are situated and the railway and motor roads pass breed the greatest danger.

According to reports coming from the districts, active descent of snow avalanches into valleys has already started. The weather forecasters have registered such activity on the threshold of the calendar winter for the first time in the history of the weather service on the island. The Sakhalin weather forecasters say that 13 avalanches have gone down at the East-Sakhalin mountain ridge over the past four weeks. Most of them reached motor roads, blocking traffic for a few hours.

Furthermore, the Sakhalin weather forecasters predict that the forthcoming winter will be extremely abundant in snowfalls and cyclones.

In the meantime, a snow cyclone is leaving the north of Sakhalin and the South Kuriles. It raged over the islands for two days. The elements interrupted air and sea ferry-boat traffic.

According to the weather forecasters' information, bad weather was provoked by the confluence of two oceanic cyclones which came from the northern and southern latitudes to meet one another. Such a natural "cocktail" caused a lavish snowfall accompanied by a violent wind.