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Hundreds trapped in vehicles overnight on Spanish roads as snow brings chaos

The Local
The Local - [email protected] • 20 Jan, 2017 Updated Fri 20 Jan 2017 12:35 CEST
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Heavy snow across Spain has made dozens of roads impassable, including the A3, the main artery between Madrid and Valencia, were hundreds of drivers were trapped overnight.

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The Civil Guard reported that around 500 people were forced to spend Thursday night in their cars on the A-3 in the province of Cuenca after becoming trapped in a snowstorm.

IN PICS: Historic town of Ronda cut off as cold front reaches Costa del Sol

The DGT road authorities also reported that 14 roads in the Alicante region, including the A-31 in Villena are impassable and six roads in Castellón including the A-23 and n-232 are blocked. They advised drivers to visit their website to check the state of the roads before starting a journey. 

The State Meteorological Agency AEMET has issued red weather warnings across Castellón and Valencia as the bad weather continues through Friday.

Amber alerts have been put in place across Teruel, Cuenca, Albacete, Murcia and Almeria as stormy weather and freezing temperatures bring snow, fierce wind and high seas to the  southeast of Spain.

GALLERY: Amazing images of Spain's beaches in snow

Spain sent its Emergency Military Unit to the worst affected areas to distribute blankets and provisions to those trapped in vehicles overnight.

The government has issued warnings urging people to stay off the roads in the snow-hit areas.

READ MORE: Spain prepares for the BIG FREEZE as Siberian winter approaches

“The situation caused by this cold front is exceptional,” Iñigo de la Serna, Spain’s Public Works Minister told Cadena Ser on Friday morning.  “It has caused very complicated situations on the roads and is not expected to improve in the coming hours.”

The temperatures plummeted to -12C overnight in some areas. 

 

 

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The Local 2017/01/20 12:35

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