Snowfalls and ice bring traffic difficulties in Germany

Heavy snowfalls in parts of the country have paralyzed road and air transport. Many cars and trucks are stuck in ice roads.

The strong snow storm that hit western and southern Germany on Wednesday triggered considerable traffic cuts, including traffic jams on the country's highways.

Ice and slippery roads have caused many accidents. In some cases, salt - throwing and gravel could no longer pass in front of blocked vehicles, making roads difficult to unlock.

Pull services have been called in to push or pull trucks. But it has been difficult for them to reach the affected areas, since snow has prevented other directors from creating escape routes. Emergency services offered blankets and hot drinks to people trapped in their vehicles.

The Influence on Air Services

The German weather service says heavy snowfall is expected to continue in some parts of the country. In some areas, up to three inches [30 cm] of snow is expected to fall during the next 24 hours. Weather conditions have also paralyzed air traffic.

At Frankfurt Airport, Germany's most busy, more than 300 out of about 1,000 flights scheduled for Thursday were canceled. The airport mentioned the danger of freezing planes getting ice again on the landing floor.

The airport announced on its website that passengers must control their flight status before travelling to the airport. If your flight is canceled, please don't go to the airport.

The Influence on Railway Traffic

Deutsche Bahn (DB), Germany's national railway operator, also cancelled several remote and regional trains Wednesday.

Furthermore, German Railways 8 DB limited the maximum speed of ICE trains to 200 miles per hour as a precaution.

The DB warned that weather conditions will also affect its operations Thursday.

Railway ties between Stuttgart and Paris and between Frankfurt and Paris are particularly affected.

The Situation in Scandinavian

Heavy snowfalls have also halted traffic in much of Scandinavian. In some regions of Denmark, police have asked people to stay at home. The airport in the Norwegian capital of Oslo was provisionally closed Wednesday, as difficult weather conditions reduced the view of pilots.

The transportation company Maersk also said weather-related disruptions at northern European ports, in addition to the unstable security situation on the Red Sea, are causing logistical problems.

The winter weather “, as well as the Red Sea jams, are expected to affect operations across Europe and the Kub terminals,” said Maersk.

“Klients are required to collect their goods as soon as possible after the dismissal to support running circulation. ”/