Heavy snow, strong winds and avalanches have caused black-outs in and around Russia's coastal city of Sochi. Power lines have been brought down in the area of the Black Sea resort.
Mountain roads connecting the city with nearby villages remain blocked. Sochi airport is closed for a second day, with all flights cancelled. According to weather forecasts there's no prospect of imminent respite. Snowfalls have also affected neighbouring Georgia, where an exceptionally harsh winter and heavy snow falls have led to some parts of the country of being cut off for days at a time, including Georgia's premier ski resort Gudauri.