Europe hit by heavy snowfalls: fatalities reported, hundreds of flights canceled

In many regions of Europe, hundreds of flights have been canceled, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at airports in Paris and Amsterdam.

In France, three people died in two separate incidents in the southwestern department of Landes, where local authorities reported that icy conditions were the cause of the tragedies.

Additionally, two people lost their lives in traffic accidents in the Paris region. One incident occurred in the eastern part of the capital, where a car collided with a truck, according to police reports.

In another case, a taxi skidded off the road, crashed into a curb, and fell into the Marne River, the press reported.

Snowfall and heavy rains have also affected the Balkans. On Monday in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia, a woman was killed when a tree loaded with wet snow fell on her, police reported.

French Transport Minister Philippe Tabaro warned that new snowfalls are expected on Tuesday and Wednesday. He urged citizens to stay home if possible and reduce travel.

The French national meteorological service announced that 38 departments have been placed on orange weather alert due to snowfall and icy conditions. Many train services have been canceled in various regions.

In Paris, authorities reported that 40% of flights at Charles de Gaulle Airport were canceled on Wednesday morning to allow snow removal equipment to clear the runways. Orly Airport also planned to cancel a quarter of its flights during this time.

In Amsterdam, more than 400 flights were canceled at Schiphol Airport.

Hundreds of passengers found themselves stranded, with many unable to catch connecting flights. Long lines formed at airline counters as people waited for updates on the resumption of flights.

Due to extreme weather conditions, the Dutch airline KLM reported a shortage of de-icing fluid for aircraft and warned of possible delays.

At Schiphol, travelers reported long queues and a lack of information.

Javier Sepulveda, a Spanish passenger trying to fly from Amsterdam to Norway, described the situation at the airport as "chaotic and unacceptable." He queued at the KLM counter at 6:30 AM and was still far from the front of the line six hours later.

Schiphol Airport stated that its snow removal teams are working around the clock to keep the runways operational and ensure passenger safety.

According to the Dutch broadcaster NOS, an additional 600 flights scheduled for Wednesday were canceled.

Rail services also faced issues. In the Netherlands, train services were completely halted for a short time on Tuesday morning due to an IT system failure.

Some trains resumed service after 9:00 AM, but problems persisted throughout the day. Eurostar trains from Amsterdam to Paris were either canceled or running late.