MADRID STRUGGLES UNDER SNOW, COLD

Authorities struggled to clear ice and fallen trees from the streets of Madrid on Tuesday and temperatures in parts of Spain hit record lows after a weekend snowstorm.

Early jubilation at the historic snowfall, which saw skiers gliding through the streets, gave way to frustration as most public transport remained stalled and pedestrians avoided the icy streets.

More than 800 soldiers have been deployed to help clear the city, where many roads are still blocked after Storm Filomena felled some 150,000 trees, cut supply lines and left supermarket shelves bare.

Only the occasional police car or taxi braved the city centre, while just 28 of Madrid’s more than 200 bus lines were operational. By late Monday, Barajas airport was almost back to capacity.