A broad avalanche risk is anticipated across Russia’s mountainous regions this week, with potential impacts including highway closures. This warning comes from the All-Russian Research Institute of Civil Defense and Emergency Situations, known as VNII GOChS.
The institute highlights the danger of avalanches and snow slides in the elevated terrains of the Far East, Siberia, the South, the North Caucasus, and the Murmansk region. The raised threat spans several federal districts and reflects the ongoing winter-spring transition in these high-altitude zones.
Experts emphasize that the danger will be greatest at elevations above 1,500 meters in the Krasnodar Territory and the Adygea mountain areas, and above 1,000 meters in Sochi, Ingushetia, and the Chechen Republic. Travelers and residents in these locales are urged to monitor weather updates closely and heed official warnings before venturing into mountain corridors or backcountry routes.
Specific avalanche-control measures will be implemented in the Murmansk region, including on Mount Aikuaivenchorr near the Apatity-Kirovsk highway. The operation is scheduled to begin at 14:00 local time on April 3 and covers more than 16 kilometers of the mountain corridor in the Khibiny range. Such measures are designed to minimize risk to motorists and field personnel by actively managing potential slide paths.
In neighboring Central Asia, a related avalanche risk has been reported in the Kazakh mountains near Almaty. Rescuers warn of a high likelihood of snow slides in the Ulken and Kishi river basins, upstream of the Ayusai dam and within the Edelweiss avalanche catchment area. Authorities have erected barricades along the Chimbulak-Tuyuksu Glacier highway and have restricted passage for residents and visitors to that route. The decision reflects precautionary steps to prevent accidents in high-risk stretches where snowpack is unstable.
Rescue teams and local authorities in Kazakhstan are actively advising against mountain hiking in the coming days. The aim is to reduce exposure to avalanches and related hazards as storm systems move through the region and wind transports continue to shape the snowpack. Travelers planning alpine activities are urged to consider safer, lower-elevation options and to stay informed through official bulletins.
Recent weather developments also affected the Georgian Military Road, which has been closed due to adverse conditions. The disruption underscores a wider pattern of unstable mountain weather affecting transit routes in the broader region, with officials repeatedly reminding the public to prioritize safety and to defer travel during peak danger periods. [cited authorities: VNII GOChS, regional emergency services]