VELIKY NOVGOROD, January 19 (RIA Novosti) - A powerful cyclone that has been sweeping across Europe for the past 24 hours has reached northwest Russia, bringing down 15 power lines and shutting down over a hundred power sub-stations, a local electricity company said Friday.

"Power disruptions have been reported in the south and the central part of the [Veliky Novgorod] region," Novgorodenergo said.

The company said thick sleet on power lines was to blame for the power cuts. It is not yet clear how many populated areas have been left without electricity, but repairs are underway.

A storm alert was declared in the region earlier Friday. Meteorologists said weather conditions would not improve during the next few hours: heavy snow storms will persist and wind speeds could increase to 15-18 meters per second during the night. However, they said the weather would start improving Saturday.

"The region is currently on the edge of the cyclone, as it has only hit its southern districts," meteorologists said.

Experts said Cyclone Kirill was moving toward Moscow, and its epicenter was currently in the nearby Tver Region.

A Russian meteorologist said earlier Friday Moscow faces the threat of hurricane-force winds as the atmospheric pressure continues to drop, and storms continue to wreak havoc in Central Europe.

Over 40 people have died since the storm struck Western Europe on Thursday, overturning vehicles, ripping up trees and toppling walls, before steadily moved east.