Europe struggles under heavy snow

Much of Europe's infrastructure froze to a halt following wintry weather across the continent at the weekend.

Airports were shut, roads closed, and flights and trains cancelled as snow and high winds moved in, killing at least 17 people.

Worst hit were Alpine regions, with EuroAirport near Basel shut from Saturday until Sunday and both Frankfurt and Munich airports experiencing delays. Roads in eastern France and Switzerland were closed and motorists taken to emergency accommodation.

Deaths have been reported due to the weather trapping people in avalanches or causing buildings and structures to collapse.

Avalanches have killed at least six people in the Swiss and French Alps while two people were rescued in northern Italy.

Though some areas of Europe welcomed the weather, such as Scotland's ski centres, the weather trapped up to 2,600 travellers in the French town of Bourg-Saint-Mauric.

Trains were stopped at Singen due to heavy snow and although services are now resuming, snow is still expected in much of the Alps over the next few days.

Posted by Just the Flight, 04 March 2006 12:27

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