Snow storm strands 83 people on highway in Kazakhstan

ASTANA, March 13 (RIA Novosti) - Two buses and over 50 cars carrying a total of 83 people were caught late Thursday in a heavy snowfall in eastern Kazakhstan, local emergencies services said on Friday.

"More than 50 cars and two buses with a total of 83 people were stranded in heavy snow on a stretch of the Ust-Kamenogorsk-Georgiyevka highway," the Kazakh emergencies ministry said in a statement.

During a rescue operation emergency workers delivered food, water and fuel to the victims, and by Friday morning had evacuated 15 cars with 40 people.

Local authorities on Thursday closed three highways in eastern Kazakhstan to all traffic due to poor visibility, heavy snow and strong winds.