The town that was turned into an ice-block

Residents in Dudinka, central Siberia, emerged from their homes after a powerful storm to find their street frozen solid up to their waists.

The storm had burst several waterpipes in the town, and with temperatures dropping to -40C during the night, the water froze solid in the street. 

Dudinka is a small town of 22,000 residents in Krasnoyarsk Krai, a large territory in the middle of Siberia that borders the Arctic Ocean.

As with many residential areas in Siberia, hot water is provided to apartment blocks from a power plant where it is centrally heated and then piped into the homes. 

Although many homes were left without water and electricity, internet connections were as solid as the ice in the streets, and Dudinka residents shared images of their plight on social media. 

Local government spokesman Eugene Gerasimov said: 'Anybody in doubt of exactly how cold it is here just need to look at the pictures. 

(dailymail.co.uk)