Heavy snow blankets Russia

An avalanche roars down a mountainside here in southwestern Russia - set off by a a round from an anti aircraft gun.

Russian emergency workers fired on the snow in an effort to hasten its fall, as they worked to clear an earlier avalanche that had buried part of the Transcaucasus Highway.

An official said that despite some damage there were no casualties.

(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN EMERGENCIES MINISTRY SEARCH AND RESCUE SQUAD REPRESENTATIVE DENIS IVANOV, SAYING:

"Power lines sustained minor damage, barracks were hit as well. But people were evacuated in time yesterday, so no one was injured."

More than an average month's snow fall has been recorded over the past two days.