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In Pictures: Thousands stranded in Spain’s record snowstorm

Blizzard in Spain has killed at least four and trapped thousands in cars, train stations and airports.

A bulldozer clears snow on a street in Madrid [Sergio Perez/Reuters]
A bulldozer clears snow on a street in Madrid [Sergio Perez/Reuters]
10 Jan 2021
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A persistent blizzard has blanketed large parts of Spain with 50-year record levels of snow, halting traffic and leaving thousands trapped in cars or train stations and airports.

In Madrid, authorities activated a red alert for the first time since the system was adopted four decades ago and called in the military to rescue people from vehicles trapped on everything from small roads to the city’s main thoroughfares.

Spain’s military was deployed on Saturday to help dozens of drivers stuck on motorways outside Madrid after record snowfall through the night.

The Military Emergencies Unit freed trapped cars, vans and trucks, allowing snowploughs to try to clear the roads.

On Friday, Madrid experienced its heaviest snowfall since 1971 after what the AEMET weather agency described as “exceptional and most likely historic” conditions caused by Storm Filomena.

The bodies of a man and woman were recovered by the Andalusia region emergency service after their car was washed away by a flooded river near the town of Fuengirola.

The interior ministry said a 54-year-old man was also found dead in Madrid under a big pile of snow. A homeless man died of hypothermia in the northern city of Zaragoza, the local police department reported.

Firefighters help motorists in Rivas Vaciamadrid, Spain. [Manu Fernandez/AP Photo]
Firefighters help motorists in Rivas Vaciamadrid, Spain. [Manu Fernandez/AP Photo]
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Half of Spain is on alert with five provinces on their highest level of warning. [Bernat Armangue/AP Photo]
Half of Spain is on alert with five provinces on their highest level of warning. [Bernat Armangue/AP Photo]
A man walks past trees fallen on a street during the heavy snowfall in the centre of Madrid. [Ingrid Melander/Reuters]
A man walks past trees fallen on a street during the heavy snowfall in the centre of Madrid. [Ingrid Melander/Reuters]
In the capital, authorities activated a red alert for the first time since the system was adopted four decades ago. [Benjamin Cremel/AFP]
In the capital, authorities activated a red alert for the first time since the system was adopted four decades ago. [Benjamin Cremel/AFP]
The storm is expected to be followed by a severe drop in temperatures in the coming days. [Oscar Del Pozo/AFP]
The storm is expected to be followed by a severe drop in temperatures in the coming days. [Oscar Del Pozo/AFP]
More than half of Spain’s provinces remained under severe weather alerts. [Gabriel Bouys/AFP]
More than half of Spain’s provinces remained under severe weather alerts. [Gabriel Bouys/AFP]
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Madrid saw its heaviest snowfall in 50 years. [Sergio Perez/Reuters]
Madrid saw its heaviest snowfall in 50 years. [Sergio Perez/Reuters]
The worst-hit regions were Castilla La Mancha, Valencia and Madrid. [Cremel/AFP]
The worst-hit regions were Castilla La Mancha, Valencia and Madrid. [Cremel/AFP]
A plough clears snow from a highway in Rivas Vaciamadrid. The transport authority said the snow had disrupted traffic on almost 400 main roads. [Manu Fernandez/AP Photo]
A plough clears snow from a highway in Rivas Vaciamadrid. The transport authority said the snow had disrupted traffic on almost 400 main roads. [Manu Fernandez/AP Photo]

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