Snow, high winds paralyze European airports, claim lives
GENEVA (AP) — An extreme cold snap across Europe claimed more lives, forced the closure of airports in Scotland, Switzerland, France and Ireland and left hundreds of drivers stranded on snowy highways on Thursday.
Heavy snow and high winds halted all flights in and out of Dublin Airport, with authorities saying they are unlikely to resume until Saturday. Irish Rail said no trains are likely to run until Sunday.
Forecasters said a new storm is bringing blizzards, 100 kph (60 mph) winds, freezing rain and thunderstorms to Ireland, southwestern England and Wales later Thursday. They predicted zero visibility and deep pockets of snow.
The World Health Organization warned Thursday that the cold weather poses particular risks to vulnerable people such as the elderly, children and those with chronic diseases or disabilities.
Swedish media reported that a woman who had left her home at an asylum center with her daughter and son, aged eight and nine, was pronounced dead in the hospital after being found in a forest.
The Aftonbladet daily newspaper reported the woman was “poorly dressed” and her daughter was in intensive care. The son was found safe and sound Wednesday afternoon when temperatures in the region were about -10 degrees Celsius (14 Fahrenheit).
Danish police said an 84-year-old woman with dementia became the second person to die in the country because of the cold weather. She left her home Wednesday evening and was found Thursday in a park in Roskilde, west of Copenhagen, police said.
It was travel chaos at Europe’s airports and on its highways.
Geneva’s airport closed after the Swiss city was hit with 13 centimeters of snow over a three-hour period early Thursday. It reopened several hours later after extensive de-icing of the runway, plans and facilities.
Snow also shut down Glasgow and Edinburgh airports in Scotland.