Hundreds left without heating in eastern Russia

Hundreds of people have been left without central heating in temperatures lower than minus 50 degrees Celsius in eastern Russia.

Two villages in the Republic of Yakutia were left in the cold following a heating-system collapse.

In one village the outdoor temperature has plummeted to minus 53 degrees Celsius and in the other down to minus 32 degrees, with the indoor temperature rapidly catching up after a major breakdown of the central heating system last Friday.

Heaters and other equipment were brought in to the crisis-hit settlements from neighbouring cities soon after the breakdown.

However, some people still saw in the New Year in frozen houses. Now the heating system has been partly upgraded.

Around 150 specialists are taking part in the ongoing repair work.