KIEV, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Disaster relief personnel battled heavy snow in Ukraine to rescue over 1,000 people stranded on roads Thursday, authorities said Friday.

A snowstorm hit the East European country Thursday, affecting 14 regions and causing power outages in more than 700 cities and villages, the State Service for Emergencies said in a statement.

Over 2,100 disaster relief personnel have been deployed to clear the snow, and more than 4,000 tents with interior heating set up across the country to help people keep warm.

The Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center has issued an alert for avalanches in the Carpathian Mountains, where several ski resorts are located.