Heavy blizzard causes traffic chaos in W. Ukraine
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E-mail Xinhua, February 17, 2012
A blizzard swept western Ukraine's Transcarpathia region Thursday, causing chaos on the roads and forcing authorities to impose traffic restrictions.
About 130 trucks were stuck in snow for hours on mountain passes and highways in the region, the emergencies ministry said, adding 20 special all-terrain vehicles and 63 emergency workers had been mobilized to tow trapped vehicles free.
Traffic restrictions were imposed on some local roads and the western part of the Kiev-Chop state highway.
Driving conditions remained poor due to strong winds and ice on the roads, the ministry said, urging the drivers outside cities to abandon trips.
About 3,000 villagers in the region are isolated with no road connections because of blizzards.
Weather officials have warned the blizzard will continue in the region for at least two more days.
The cold snap, which hit Ukraine in early February, is the country's most severe for six years. At least 122 people have so far frozen to death.
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