A snowpocalypse has engulfed Russia in recent days, with various regions and cities struggling to deal with the freak weather.

In the industrial city of Norilsk in Siberia's Krasnoyarsk region, which sits above the Arctic Circle, visibility dropped to zero and buses, planes and ships were canceled or rerouted as a snowstorm raged on Tuesday, reaching speeds of 25 meters per second. The city's emergency services stayed on high alert as a holiday was declared for children and mobile heating stations were set up.

Winds in Norilsk are gusting at up to 20 metres per second, with temperatures at around -23C. Some plants in the city have given their staff days off.

Many Pacific islands are famed for their palm trees, but Sakhalin is facing some of the heaviest January blizzards in living memory.