MOSCOW, February 1 (RIA Novosti) - A public warning was issued in West Siberia's Omsk Region on Thursday after polluted snow came down, yellowed and oil-stained.
"The snow fell over an area of about 1,500 square meters at around 1:15 p.m. Moscow time [10:15 a.m. GMT] yesterday, January 31," Emergency Situations Ministry spokesman Viktor Beltsov said.
People living within the contaminated zone have been warned against melting the snow down to obtain water, and advised to avoid stepping on it wherever possible, he said.
The affected area spans almost 50 communities, and a population of more than 27,000.
Experts of the ministry and the Sanitary Control Agency are currently testing snow samples to identify the pollutant, and the test results are expected to be released Friday, Beltsov said.
A panel of ministry officials have gathered for an emergency session to discuss measures to remove the potentially hazardous matter, he said.
