Moscow sends heavy equipment to deal with historic snow emergency in Kamchatka
Moscow sent two military cargo planes to deliver heavy snow-clearing equipment to Kamchatka on January 22, 2026, after historic snowfall claimed two lives last week. More than 2 m (7 feet) of snow fell in the first half of January, followed by another 3.7 m (12.1 feet) in December, burying entire homes and paralyzing the region.
Image credit: Government of Kamchatka
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and surrounding settlements on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula have been experiencing historic snowfall through December 2025 and January 2026, paralyzing daily life and prompting emergency measures.
Snow depths of over 2–2.5 m (6.6–8.2 feet) were recorded in several districts in January, on top of a total of 3.7 m (12.1 feet) in December, along with strong gusts. Entire neighborhoods were buried under the accumulating snow, with vehicles, streets, and public infrastructure heavily impacted.
At least two deaths were reported in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky after snow falling from rooftops struck residents on January 15.
The first fatality was of a man, who was killed by a snow collapse on Sovetskaya Street, while trying to dig his car out of the snow. The second fatality was reported in the private residential sector on Makarova Street, when a man in his 60s died while rescuers tried to dig him out of the snow.
In a separate incident, fire trucks were unable to reach a burning building where three people were injured last week. “Firefighters had to drag the hose by hand to reach the source of the fire,” regional Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Lebedev said.
Regional Governor Vladimir Solodov said Kamchatka lacked sufficient snow-removal equipment to address the situation, leaving roads impassable. Videos and photos shared online showed people climbing out of or even jumping from their apartment buildings through windows, as their building entrances were blocked by snow.
Schools and colleges in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky will continue operating remotely until next week. Conditions are returning to normal, said Solodov in a televised meeting with President Vladimir Putin.
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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