Belarus President urges prompt snowstorm recovery efforts

MINSK, 18 March (BelTA) – Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko ordered Cyclone Xaver prompt recovery efforts. The instruction of the Belarusian leader was voiced by Vice Premier of Belarus Anatoly Kalinin as he talked to reporters on 17 March, BelTA has learnt.

“Leaving for a business trip, the President gave the relevant instructions to all the government bodies to promptly, within daylight hours, clean up roads, approaches to all public establishments as well as territories of the residential areas. The head of state also asked to address people on his behalf and call them to take an active part in cleaning up yards and surrounding areas,” Anatoly Kalinin said.

According to Anatoly Kalinin, the situation is under close government control. Taking stock of the works done to mitigate the consequences of the snowstorm, it can be said that all state services (oblast executive committees, Minsk City Hall, the Emergencies Ministry, housing and public utilities, the Transport Ministry, the Interior Ministry, road police, the Defense Ministry and others) operated quickly and effectively with full understanding of the situation.

The Vice Premier noted that it takes time to address such situations. Several villages and facilities were left without power. Energy supplies there were restored within 24 hours.

Over 33,000 people and more than 10,000 special-purpose vehicles were involved in the effort to cope with the natural disaster. Power supplies were resumed across the regions of the country within a short period of time. Local public transport systems were promptly put back fully working. Road services are still cleaning up snow to extend roadways.