Drivers in Madrid had to be rescued from their cars today after unprecedented heavy snowfall caused by Storm Filomena wreaked havoc across Spain, leaving thousands of drivers stranded.
The M-30 and M-40 motorways near to the Spanish capital were among 400 roads on which traffic was affected by the heavy snowfall.
Madrid city council called on citizens to stay at home and avoid non-essential travel as a result of the unusual blizzard.
Ten regions, including the Spanish capital, were placed on red alert earlier today, with more heavy snowfalls predicted.
Thousands of motorists were left trapped in their cars in the Spanish capital of Madrid because of unprecedented snowfall
The Spanish Unit for Military Emergencies deployed 147 soldiers to help rescue drivers who had been left stranded because of the snow
The M-30 and M-40 motorways near to the Spanish capital were among 400 roads affected by the heavy snow
Madrid city council called on citizens to stay at home and avoid non-essential travel as a result of the unusual blizzard
Emergency services worked through the night to help rescue stranded motorists, with heavy snowfall caused by Storm Filomena leaving cars and lorries alike stuck on Spanish motorways
Speaking to Spanish television RNE from her car, one woman said: ‘I drove to see my husband in hospital and have been stuck here for three hours. It’s a journey which should take 15 minutes.’
The Spanish Unit for Military Emergencies, which deployed 147 soldiers to help stranded drivers, tweeted to say: ‘We continue the rescue of vehicles on the A4, A5, M40 and M607.’
Emergency services said around 1,000 trapped motorists had been reached by the early hours of this morning.
Carlos Novillo, director of Madrid Emergencies, described the situation as critical but added: ‘We’re still working on reaching cars trapped on the M40 and M506 motorways.
Emergency services said around 1,000 trapped motorists had been reached by the early hours of this morning
Carlos Novillo, director of Madrid Emergencies, described the situation as critical but that emergency services were still working to rescue people on the A4, A5, M40 and M607
Ten regions, including the Spanish capital, were placed on red alert earlier today, with more heavy snowfalls predicted
‘We’re going to reach everyone and help them get to safety.’
Transport Minister Jose Luis Abalos added: ‘We are in the grip of an historic storm and obviously it’s had a huge knock-on effect on transport.’
On the A4 in Madrid, the Red Cross set out to deliver food packages to lorry drivers who were also trapped in their vehicles because of the snow.
Meteorologists had predicted Friday’s snowfall to reach around 20cm with temperatures hovering around freezing.
Transport Minister Jose Luis Abalos added: ‘We are in the grip of an historic storm and obviously it’s had a huge knock-on effect on transport’
Madrid also closed Barajas Airport on Friday night as a result of the chaotic weather which made flying impossible
Meteorologists had predicted Friday’s snowfall to reach around 20cm with temperatures hovering around freezing
Madrid also closed Barajas Airport on Friday night as a result of the chaotic weather which made flying impossible.
At least 50 flights to Madrid, Malaga, Tenerife and Cueta were cancelled as a result of the airport shutdown.
Aena, who controls all of Spain’s airports, tweeted: ‘Owing to the forecast of snow and for security, Madrid Barajas airport will remain closed throughout Saturday’.
The airport’s closure came after the Real Madrid team were left trapped on a runway for four hours last night before being given a go-ahead to take off.
Despite the chaos for drivers, some people in the Spanish capital took the rare opportunity to enjoy the snowfall
Skiers were seen gliding through the Puerta del Sol plaza in central Madrid, while one man was spotted making his way through the capital with his sled dogs
Car salesman Javier Talanco (pictured) took his five huskies out for a spin in surreal scenes after historic snowfall left the city looking more like Reykjavik
On top of the airport closure, Madrid city council confirmed that all bus services in the capital had been suspended
Madrid city council said that in addition to Madrid’s airport closure, all high-speed rail services between the capital and the southeastern cities of Alicante and Valencia had been suspended.
A record temperature of -35.6 degrees C was recorded at Vega de Lourdes in Leon, northern Spain, the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) said.
Bus services within Madrid have also been halted for now.
Despite the chaos for drivers, some people in the Spanish capital took the rare opportunity to enjoy the snowfall.
High-speed train services to southeastern cities such as Alicante and Valencia had been stopped because of the snow
A few brave people decided to head out into the city and battle against the heavy snowfall
Huge areas of Spain, including Madrid, have been left blanketed in a thick layer of snow after Storm Filomena wrought havoc overnight
Skiers were seen gliding through the Puerta del Sol plaza in central Madrid, while one man was spotted making his way through the capital with his sled dogs.
Car salesman Javier Talanco took his five huskies out for a spin in surreal scenes after historic snowfall left the city looking more like Reykjavik.
Javier, who practices the dog-powered sport of mushing but normally in the mountains, treated the children of neighbours to rides on his sled after the heaviest snowfall in Madrid in at least 50 years.
He said afterwards: ‘They have snow in their blood and as soon as they saw it out of the window, they started getting nervous and wouldn’t stop playing.’