Traffic moves along one of the main thoroughfares of central Siberia.(AFP Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    BEIJING, Feb. 2 (Xinhuanet) -- Yellow-orange snow fell in several villages of a West Siberian province, Russia on Wednesday. Russia's emergency situations ministry dispatched experts to find out the reason and the snow was confirmed to contain no toxic substances.

   Snow ranging in color from light yellow to orange and carrying a distinctive "musty" odor was observed Wednesday in five districts of Omsk province, which lies in western Siberia and borders Kazakhstan.

    Technicians and equipment from a chemical laboratory flew to the Omsk region in southern Siberia on Thursday to analyze oily yellow and orange snow which has covered an area home to 27,000 people.

    "Experts have established that the substances in the snow are not toxic, but the iron content in the snow samples was four times above the norm," the press service of the local emergencies situations department said.

    Local residents have been warned against melting the snow for water and stepping on it wherever possible, the Emergency Situations Ministry said.

    The Omsk province is known as a center of the oil industry and the provincial capital is among Siberia's largest cities.

    "Snow samples have been sent for further tests in labs in Moscow and Krasnoyarsk, and we have also sent an inquiry to Kazakhstan about the possibility of industrial pollution," an emergency service official said. Kazakhstan is located southwest of the Omsk Region.

    Experts said it was too early to talk about the cause of the phenomena.

    (Agencies)