Dozens of passengers in Ukraine have had to be rescued from vehicles stuck in heavy snow
© DSNS EMERGENCIES SERVICEDozens of passengers in Ukraine have had to be rescued from vehicles stuck in heavy snow
Snowstorms and strong winds have left more than 2,000 towns and villages without power across many regions of Ukraine, local officials say.

They say 48 people, including children, have been evacuated from trapped vehicles in the worst-affected Odesa region in the south-west.

At least six people have suffered from hypothermia. Traffic is currently blocked on 14 motorways.


The storm is also battering Moldova, Russia, Georgia and Bulgaria.

In a statement on Monday morning, Ukraine's emergencies service said the bad weather left 2,019 settlements without power in 16 regions of the country.

It said 840 vehicles had to be towed away amid snow drifts reaching more than two metres (6.6ft) in some places. At least 1,370 cargo lorries are currently stuck.

The southern Mykolaiv region is also badly hit.

More than 1,500 rescuers are now deployed across the country in a massive clean-up operation. They are being helped by police, border guards and National Guard members.

In the capital Kyiv, the country's largest flag - measuring 16x24m - had to be taken down from a 90m pole after it was damaged by fierce winds. City officials said the flag would be replaced and raised again.

(More here)