Azernews.Az

Heavy snow has made things difficult for the Azerbaijani capital Baku since Saturday, with traffic being restricted on slippery roads and residents in many residential areas facing electricity outages and gas supply problems. The hardship dampened local services' promises on the level of preparedness for the wintry winter. In fact, first snow that fell in the Azerbaijani capital has put to the test the operation of such utilities as the state-controlled gas supplier Azerigas, the Baku electricity network BakiElektrikShebeke and Azersu water supply company. The situation suggests that it will take many years for these companies, which have long lost credibility among the local public, to be able to surmount the challenges. It is doubtful whether the utilities' executives who have repeatedly made pledges such as "the capital will face no problems in the winter" will be able to persuade the population in the Binaghadi and Surakhani districts, the Ahmadli settlement and a number of other areas of Baku, who have now been left without gas and electricity. Temperatures hit a record low late on Monday, dropping to negative 8.7 degrees in Baku and the entire Absheron Peninsula, a senior hydrometeorology expert at the ecology ministry, Asif Verdiyev, said. "Such freezing temperature has not been observed in the capital in early January before. The coldest weather was registered back in 1935, when it was 8.1 degrees below zero," he said. The Baku International Airport, which was temporarily shut down on Monday, resumed full operation the next day. Planes took off from Baku to Germany and the United Arab Emirates and were received from Kazakhstan and Turkey on Tuesday. As for local flights, those to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic were resumed on the same day. Harsh weather conditions have complicated traffic, causing roadblocks. 18 accidents have occurred in the country in the past few days, killing nine and injuring 15 people. Pedestrians are struggling to make their way through piles of snow and slick sidewalks, and the number of people seeking first aid at local medical facilities has increased. Most of the injured persons are being treated for side and head injuries, and one person is said to have frozen to death. Wintry weather has caused a postponement of classes in secondary schools across Azerbaijan till January 10, or three days after the New Year holidays that started on December 30. The measure was ordered by Education Minister Misir Mardanov. Freezing temperatures are predicted to linger on till the weekend and make up negative two to four degrees. The temperature in the afternoon hours is expected between zero and two degrees. On January 10-11, north-western wind will accelerate to 15-20 meters per second, at times reaching 25 meters/sec. Snow is expected to fall again in Baku but this time heavy snowfall is not in store. The weather is forecast to improve since January 13, with temperatures to reach five to six degrees early next week.