French Alps snow traps hundreds of tourists overnight in sports halls
Rescuers at a ski resort in the mountains (Photo: Getty Images)
In the French Alps, several hundred cars were blocked on the road to ski resorts. About 800 people spent the night in gymnasiums, according to Le Figaro.
At the Val Thorens resort, 29 people had to spend the night in a shelter, and around 40 more tourists spent part of the night on a bus to the Arc 2000 resort.
France’s meteorological service has warned of the highest level of avalanche danger across most Alpine ridges.
Despite warnings, three skiers died on Saturday due to avalanches in Savoie: two at the Val d’Isère resort and one in Arêches-Beaufort.
According to rescuers, the bodies of the two skiers at Val d’Isère were found only thanks to signals from their mobile phones.
In Arêches-Beaufort, one skier survived thanks to a patrol officer who heard his cries; the injured person was hospitalized in serious condition.
Snowfalls in Europe
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported that snowfalls on Saturday and Sunday in Gdańsk caused disruptions at Lech Wałęsa Airport.
Due to heavy snow and strong winds, 14 flights were canceled or redirected to other airports, including flights to Stockholm, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and Warsaw.
At Schiphol Airport near Amsterdam on Friday, January 2, almost 450 flights were canceled or delayed due to adverse weather. The main causes of disruptions were heavy snowfalls and gusty winds, which complicated aircraft takeoffs and landings.
