Snow blocks Trans-Caucasus and Georgian Military roads

Heavy snow in Georgia and South Ossetia that started yesterday has blocked the Georgian Military Road, RIA Novosti cites a spokesman of the Southern Regional Center of the Russian Emergencies Ministry as saying.

A total of 120 people in three buses, 8 mini buses and a car are waiting at the Nizhny Lars crossing point, he said.

The Main Department of the Russian Emergencies Ministry in North Ossetia established a warming point in case more vehicles arrive. 110 people were accommodated in hotels of Vladikavkaz. 9 people were taken to their relatives.

The Trans-Caucasus Highway connects Russia and South Ossetia. It was closed for 4 days due to a high avalanche risk. The highway is the only connection between Russia and South Ossetia. The road crosses the Roksky mountain pass. It was opened on Thursday at 21.00 (Moscow time).

The road has been closed this morning again, Savchenko said. A bulldozer driver clearing the road was killed by a mountain fragment during construction of an anti-avalanche gallery.