Bishkek-Almaty highway closed

The Bishkek-Almaty highway has been closed over heavy snowfall, Kyrgyzstan’s Emergencies Ministry told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.
Police closed the Kordai border crossing between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
According to different estimates, over 200 cars are stuck in the snow on the border of the two republics.
The visibility in the region is 2-3 meters; wind gusts exceed 22 meters per second.
Kazakhstan organized mobile food facilities for drivers queuing on the border.
Snow removal equipment is operating on the border crossing point.
Kyrgyzstan’s Emergencies Ministry called on drivers to temporarily stop driving the Bishkek-Almaty highway.
Heavy snowfall in Kyrgyzstan also created avalanche zones on the Bishkek-Osh highway that links the republic’s northern and southern regions.
The government instructed to use artillery to clear avalanche-prone zones. It is planned to begin the artillery fire on January 21.
The depth of snow in some regions of Kyrgyzstan reaches 3 meters.

21.01.10