ADVERTISEMENT

Army called in as snow traps thousands on roads

Videos posted on Twitter by emergency services showed soldiers and police battling snow drifts as they used shovels to clear snow from around trapped cars.

The army's emergency unit UME said it sent two companies of specialist soldiers and 95 vehicles to free over 3,000 vehicles that became stranded on the AP6 highway linking Madrid and the northwestern city of Segovia.

"The vehicles were removed one by one. There were cars with babies inside that did not have water or food," said UME spokesman Aurelio Soto.

About 70 kilometres (45 miles) of the highway in the centre of the country were blocked by snow just as families were returning home after the end of the Christmas holidays.

ADVERTISEMENT

Motorists took to social media to complain that they had been trapped on the road since Saturday night without anything to eat and no heating, amid freezing temperatures.

"My husband and I didn't eat anything to give the little we had to our children," Sara Ramos, who was trapped in her car for 15 hours with her husband and two children aged two and six, told Spanish public television.

"It was really distressing because it was many hours of waiting. It was a really difficult situation. There were people who had no heat because their car battery ran out."

Public Works Minister Inigo de la Serna said the government had opened an inquiry to see if the toll road operator that runs the AP6 highway -- Iberpistas, a subsidiary of Spain's Abertis -- "had fulfilled all protocols" for a snow storm.

The minister said many other roads were covered by snow but these were closed and cleared without drivers being trapped in their vehicles for so long. He urged people not to use their cars in areas affected by he snow storm "unless it is strictly necessary".

ADVERTISEMENT

Spain's weather office issued alerts for 37 provinces on Sunday because of the risks posed by the heavy snow, strong winds and rain.

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng

Recommended articles

Tinubu mourns Sen Ayogu Eze's passing, extends condolences

Tinubu mourns Sen Ayogu Eze's passing, extends condolences

Edo Guber: Major setback for APC as PDP poaches influential chieftain

Edo Guber: Major setback for APC as PDP poaches influential chieftain

Uzodinma is a symbol of peaceful religious co-existence in Nigeria - NAHCON

Uzodinma is a symbol of peaceful religious co-existence in Nigeria - NAHCON

'We know Wike is your boss': Edwin Clark fires warning to PDP acting chair

'We know Wike is your boss': Edwin Clark fires warning to PDP acting chair

Cardoso what’s wrong? Nigerians ask questions as naira depreciates further

Cardoso what’s wrong? Nigerians ask questions as naira depreciates further

Hajj Commission thanks 'Christian Uzodinma' for being its pillar of support

Hajj Commission thanks 'Christian Uzodinma' for being its pillar of support

Why our plane made emergency landing at Lagos airport, Air Peace clarifies

Why our plane made emergency landing at Lagos airport, Air Peace clarifies

Over 75% of Katsina children are multidimensionally poor – UNICEF

Over 75% of Katsina children are multidimensionally poor – UNICEF

PDP unveils 200-member campaign council for Ighodalo's guber election in Edo

PDP unveils 200-member campaign council for Ighodalo's guber election in Edo

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT