DUSHANBE, January19, Asia-Plus -- Unrepentantly snowy and cold winter has taken a hold across Tajikistan, with many mountain areas suffering from intense cold, heavy snowfall and travel disruption.  

 On Thursday January 18, the Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense issued a storm warn in Tajikistan following “intensification of cyclonic activity above the country’s territory,” a source at the emergencies committee said.  The warn has been effective since January 18 and will last through January 20.  

“However, we have not yet received any report about emergencies in connection with deterioration of weather conditions,” the source said.  

Meanwhile, Jamila Baydulloyeva, chairperson of the Tajik meteorological service, noted that a number of avalanches had already hit some areas in the Varzob district.  Storms dumped up to 1.6 meters of snow in some areas, which is twice as much as the norm, according to her. 

According to meteorologists, for the last time, such a cold and snowy winter was reported in 1998. 

Meteorologists expect weather to little bit improve in the coming days.  According to Baydulloyeva, February will be cold as well.  

Mountains areas, especially in the east part of Gorno Badakhshan have suffered in the past couple of days, with very low temperatures.