Heavy snowfall disrupts street traffic in Moscow

Moscow, Nov 15 (UNI) Heavy snowfall overnight has disrupted the street traffic in Moscow and city traffic police has warned car drivers to leave their vehicles at home and take metro to escape hours of jam in the streets.

The snowfall since Tuesday night has continued unabated with 10 centimeters of snow dumped on the city, Russian news agencies reported quoting city's meteorologists.

Traffic jams are, of course, typical for Moscow, but this time they surprised even veteran drivers.Cars traveled at 5 to 10 kilometers per hour on major Moscow streets during the morning and evening rush hours, RIA Novosti reported.

City traffic police reported 2,108 car crashes, including 23 serious accidents with three people killed and 23 wounded, in the last two days.

''During the heavy snowfall we recommend that drivers avoid driving if possible, of course, and use the metro,'' traffic police spokesman Maxim Galushko said.

Traffic police officials made similar recommendations on various radio stations today.

Meanwhile, the metro warned passengers in a taped announcement on its public address system that they should go by car or bus instead.

''The load of the metro has increased because of the snow,'' said Dmitry Golovin, a spokesman for the metro.

Temperatures are forecast to fluctuate from daytime highs of zero degrees Celsius to night-time lows of minus 10 C through Saturday.

UNI