8.1.2010 – 18:10 Uhr – Quelle dpa
Fear of “Daisy” – winter chaos in Europe
Hamburg (dpa) – Before the snow storms and shortages at the weekend and weather experts have warned authorities. Other experts felt it was scaremongering. The depression “Daisy”, meanwhile, is getting closer.
Especially in the night on Friday and Saturday during the day, the focus of snowfall is expected. Photos: HSt-Archiv/dpa, montage: Chris Petersen
Threaten chaotic traffic conditions, power outages and heavy snow drifts across Germany. The German Weather Service (DWD) warned of torrential rain storms are common especially in the north and in the mountains. In some places the snow could pile up to 50 centimeters.
The Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster advised to stock up on food. Any unnecessary driving should be avoided. Sufficient drinking water, a drug store and candles should be in the house, said the President of the Federal, Christoph Unger, in Bonn. Good would be a battery-operated radio for the “always” possible case of a power outage.
The Agency for Technical Relief prepared but prior to a major operation: “We are taking the storm warnings seriously and to monitor the situation developing in Germany,” said THW President Albrecht Broemme. Must be reckoned with flight failures, train delays as well as ice and snow on many streets.According to the Meteomedia storm center had reached on Friday first feeble offshoot of “Daisy” Germany.
The Head of the Institute of weather and climate of communication, Frank Boettcher, told N24 television channel: “With such statements, we lost the chance to correct the serious warnings as layers believed.” It would be up within three days in some regions Expects to 25 centimeters of fresh snow, many areas would get barely 5 inches. Will also be used with howling winds from any disaster, weather conditions, “Boettcher said. With power outages would not expect more, because the powder will settle almost on the lines.
Among other things, it came with wind gusts of magnitude 6 on the Baltic Sea island of Fehmarn to the first snow drifts. But this is just the beginning, “said spokesman Andreas Wagner of the AP.The Frankfurt Airport asked passengers to adjust to delays and flight cancellations. German Rail is also prepared: The announced 20 centimeters of fresh snow, but giving no troubles, “said a spokesman in Berlin.
Not only in Germany and abroad for wintry weather caused chaos: For continuous snowfall Czech Republic on Friday announced the temporary closure of two border crossings for truck traffic. Affected would be the borders with Germany and Slovakia in Rozvadov Lanzhot at how the Czech news agency CTK reported.
On the streets of the Spanish pilgrimage city of Santiago de Compostela, the snow caused a traffic chaos. In the Scottish Highlands, people froze in the night to Friday at up to minus 21.6 degrees. The train and air services were hampered, inter alia, at London Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted – in Britain continued to report thousands of schools, no classes.
Russia also came in some areas of the market almost to a standstill. In France, several highways were closed due to snow. In Albania, there were around the town of Shkodra more than 2000 houses and 9000 hectares of land under water – almost 3500 people from the flood areas had to be brought to safety.
Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief: http://dpaq.de/pmBxb
Translated from German in English by Mr. Google
Source: Zeit Online
Did you hear about what happened with the Eurotrain services? They had problems because of the white stuff too, although the services were only reduced, not cancelled. I got back from holiday yesterday and we had taken the euro train, so we missed the trouble, but still.
Jen