MADRID (Reuters) – Heavy snowfall caused by the Filomena storm put parts of Spain, including the capital Madrid, on high alert on Friday, causing traffic congestion and forcing authorities in some regions to send military personnel to clear access to villages. .
With snow forecast of up to 20 cm (almost 8 inches) in 24 hours and expected temperatures around zero centigrade for much of the day, the southern region of Madrid, including the capital, is at its highest alert level for the first time since the system was created in 2007.
These events are rare in the region and tend to be detrimental to daily life and mobility, arriving at a time when people are returning home after the Christmas and New Year holidays. This year, however, there is less traffic than usual due to restrictions to contain the coronavirus pandemic.
Large parks in Madrid, including the famous Retiro, next to the Prado Museum, were closed as a precaution.
Ruben del Campo, a spokesman for the State Meteorological Agency, said the city was probably facing the biggest blizzard at least so far in the 21st century.
“Perhaps we would have to go back to the February 1984 or March 1971 blizzard to find similar precedents if the predictions we hope are correct,” he added.
Castilla-La Mancha, one of three regions placed on high alert on Friday along with Madrid and eastern Valencia, closed schools and troops were called in to clear access to some villages.
With hundreds of roads affected by snow, trucks have been banned from entering several major highways and authorities have asked citizens to avoid non-essential travel.
Airport operator Aena asked passengers to use the metro to reach Madrid airport, and railway operator Renfe canceled some routes.
On Wednesday, Spain recorded the lowest temperature ever recorded in the Iberian Peninsula, of -34.1ºC, in the Pyrenees to the north.
The storm hit the Canary Islands with strong winds and rain. In Gran Canaria, a ferry with 59 passengers and 17 crew members ran aground Thursday night due to strong winds at the entrance to the port of Agaete.
On Friday, the coast guard rescued the passengers, who left unharmed, but the ferry remained stationary.
Reporting by Emma Pinedo and Cristina Sanchez, edited by Andrei Khalip and Gareth Jones