AVALANCHE DANGER REMAINS IN MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS OF RUSSIA








MOSCOW, March 12, 2001. / RIA Novosti correspondent /. The Russian hydro-meteorological centre (Rosgidromettsentr) has warned about the danger of avalanches in the North Caucasus and the Eastern and Western Sayan mountains. There is also a great probability of avalanches in the north of Buryatia (a republic within the Russian Federation bordering on Mongolia) and in Sakhalin (Russian Far East).


	Affected by the sun, snow on mountain slopes becomes more compact and starts melting in the lower layer. For this reason, a mass of snow may be set in motion by any insignificant jolt and slide down upon the water-saturated snow layer, Rosgidromettsentr reported.