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Montenegro declares state of emergency due to heavy snow

12 February 2012 00:54 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The Montenegro Defense and Security Council on Saturday declared a state of emergency as heavy snowfall battering the small Balkan country was seen as a natural disaster, reported Radio Television Montenegro (RTCG), APA reports quoting Xinhua.

The emergency Council session was chaired by the President of Montenegro Filip Vujanovic.

The decision was based on the deteriorating situation on the ground that has resulted in a virtual stand-still on the country’s interior roads due to excessive snowfall and the complete isolation of some remote or mountainous communities.

The council also announced a need to cut electrical consumption in the country by as much as 20 percent, asking state and municipal institutions to contain their power usage by, among other measures, reducing lighting.

A coordination team has introduced measures for the delivery of food and medicines on snowmobiles to villages cut off by heavy snow.

Elsewhere in west Balkan region, rescue teams found the third victim of a snow avalanche that hit the remote village of Restelica in the south of Kosovo Saturday.

At least eight people are believed to be inside several houses completely covered by avalanche in the village right at the corner with Albania and Macedonia.