Thousands trapped after historic snowfall in Barcelona

Thousands trapped after historic snowfall in Barcelona
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By h.b. - Mar 9, 2010 - 6:25 AM
Some 200,000 people, mostly in the Gerona area, are without power

Snow in the famous Ramblas of Barcelona - EFE

An historic snowfall has brought chaos to Cataluña and a state of emergency has been declared in the region as snow accompanied by high winds continues. Civil Protection is on an emergency phase one alert following the heaviest snowfall in the region since 1986.

Thousands of people were trapped in trains by the blizzard, with most of them evacuated to local sports halls to spend Monday night. Some local rail services, halted by fallen trees as well as the snow, have now been established this morning. At the time of writing the local lines C-1, C-2, C-3 and C-4 remain suspended.

The Germans Trias I Pujol hospital in Badalona was cut off and there are an estimated 200,000 people without power in the Gerona region according to Fecsa-Endesa.

More than 150 roads were initially closed including the AP-7 and the N-II, and 4,000 lorries were trapped at the border crossing into France at La Jonquera. This morning 35 roads remain closed and only urgent travel is advised. Chains are needed on a further 105 roads. The AP-7 remains closed at Maçanet de la Selva, Girona, by fallen high tension power cables.
Check the state of roads on the DGT traffic website at www.dgt.es before making any journey in Cataluña.

All bus services in Barcelona have been suspended, and Barcelona University has been evacuated. No school bus services are running today, Tuesday.

30 provinces across Spain are on current weather alert and overnight temperatures in Cataluña have been down to minus 9ºC.

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