Orange snow falls in Russia

Orange and yellow snowflakes fell in the Omsk region of Russia on Wednesday according to Russian officials.

The snow is said to have felt oily to touch and gave off a rotten smell. Scientists are investigating the cause of the usunusally coloured snow, which fell over an area of more than 1,500 sq km.

The local environmental prosecutor, Anton German, said he was waiting for the results of chemical tests. Another local official reported the snow had four times the normal levels of iron in it.

Omsk is in western Siberia where oil is the main industry. About 27,000 people live in the area affected by the snow. Residents have been advised not to use the snow for household tasks or to allow animals to graze on it.