In a scene that seems closer to science-fiction films, videos recorded by residents in Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula captured the aftermath of a “snow hurricane” that hit the area, transforming residential neighborhoods into “ice mountains” that completely buried signs of life.

Shocking video footage showed massive snow drifts formed by strong winds, with snow piling up in front of residential buildings to record-breaking heights. Eyewitnesses described one snow mound as “reaching the ninth floor,” highlighting the scale of the accumulation that almost completely covered the façade of a high-rise building. Other clips showed that snow entirely covered the first and second floors.

With the main entrances unusable, residents were forced to dig trenches and narrow tunnels to enter and exit their homes. In a rare scene, some even resorted to shoveling snow in through sealed windows, collecting it in bathtubs to melt and use for drinking and washing, as they were cut off and supplies were frozen.

Cars did not escape the storm either, as they were completely buried under meters of snow, with owners trying to locate them by digging randomly. In some amusing footage, children took advantage of the massive snow piles and used them as skiing slopes from heights equal to the rooftops of nearby buildings down to the street.