Heavy snowfalls have pounded northeastern Spain, knocking out power, canceling flights and forcing the closure of schools in Barcelona and the surrounding area, officials say.
Accumulations of up to 50cm of snow have been forecast for the worst affected areas of Catalonia, prompting the regional government to cancel classes for more than 142,000 students at 476 public schools.
Power was lost in homes throughout the region on Monday, with energy company Fecsa-Endesa reporting 10,000 clients were without electricity, while traffic on more than 60 roads in the area was either prohibited or restricted.
Spain’s border with France at La Jonquera was closed because of the snow, leaving about 3000 trucks stranded, public radio RNE reported.
Bus service in Barcelona was suspended just before the evening rush hour and commuters were encouraged to use the Mediterranean port city’s metro system instead.
While Barcelona’s El Prat airport was operating normally, six flights out of the airport in nearby Girona were canceled and several more were delayed because of the snowfall, which was accompanied by strong winds.
Source:Yahoo News