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Archive for February 2015

Brief background. Last November, one of the mines owned by “Uralkali” company was partially flooded. The mine is located near Solikamsk town (Perm region).

Later, about 3.5 km from the mine, on the territory occupied by garden plots of Solikamsk residents, a giant sinkhole (30×40 meters) was found (the first post about this event).

Giant sinkhole, Solikamsk, Perm region, Russia

the situation a few months later

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Lake Kezenoyam is a lake located on the border of Vedensky district of Chechen Republic and Botlikhsky district of Dagestan Republic. This alpine lake, situated at an altitude of about 1,800 meters above sea level, is the largest and deepest lake in the North Caucasus.

The maximum depth of the lake is 74 meters, the length from north to south – 2 km, from west to east – 2.7 km, the maximum width – 735 meters.

Lake Kezenoyam, North Caucasus, Russia, photo 1

very scenic lake

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Feb/15

20

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky covered with deep snow

Last week, the southern part of Kamchatka was hit by a cyclone that brought sleet and storm wind. The capital of the region, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky city, was covered with deep snow, and three snow avalanches added even more snow.

Let’s see how the city looks after this snow apocalypse. The photos were taken by Alex Spiridonov.

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky snow apocalypse, Russia, photo 1

snow, snow everywhere!

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It is a pretty interesting video shot on a weekday in the Olympic Park in Sochi – about one year after the Games.

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Klyuchevskaya Sopka is an active volcano located in the east of Kamchatka. It is the highest active volcano in Eurasia. The height of the volcano varies from 4750 to 4850 meters above sea level.

It is also the highest peak in Russia outside the Caucasus. January 1, 2015, the regular eruption of Klyuchevskaya Sopka began. Klyuchevskaya Sopka on Google Maps. The photos were taken by Denis Budkov.

Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano eruption, Kamchatka, Russia, photo 1

look at the volcanic eruption closer

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Norilsk, with a population of more than 175,000 people, is located in the Arctic Circle. It is ranked seventh in the list of the most polluted cities in the world. About 60 percent of its population is employed in the metallurgical industry.

Elena Chernyshova, a Russian documentary photographer based in France, lived in Norilsk for a few months photographing the life of the city.

Life in Norilsk city, Russia, photo 1

pretty harsh place for life

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Feb/15

9

Baskunchak – a unique salt lake

Baskunchak is a salt lake, with an area of about 115 square km, located in Akhtubinskiy district of Astrakhan region, about 270 km north of the Caspian Sea and 53 km to the east of the Volga River.

Salt extraction on the lake began in the 8th century. Lake Baskunchak was officially mentioned first time in 1627 in the first geographical description of Russia as a place “where they mine salt as pure as ice.” The view of the lake from the satellite. The photos were taken by Richard Zorge.

Baskunchak - a unique salt lake, Russia, photo 1

two in one – the lake and the desert

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Feb/15

4

Samara city in winter time

Samara is a large city located in the Middle Volga area of Russia, the administrative center of Samara region. The population is about 1.17 million people (2014), it is the seventh most populous city in the country.

Samara is situated on the left bank of the Volga River, at the confluence with the Samara River (hence the name of the city). The photos were taken by Stepanov Slava.

Samara city in winter time, Russia, photo 1

Samara from above

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Dolgoprudny is a town with a population of about 97,000 people located in Moscow region, in the vicinity of Moscow. In the south and east the town almost merges with the northern outskirts of Moscow.

Relatively recently, in 1997-2003, a beautiful church was built here – the Church of the Kazan Icon of Our Lady.

The Church of the Kazan Icon of Our Lady in Dolgoprudny, Moscow region, Russia, photo 1

very picturesque church

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