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| Snow in Spain traps thousands of people in cars overnight | Snow in Spain traps thousands of people in cars overnight |
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| Spanish police and soldiers were working to rescue thousands of people trapped on roads in the centre of the country after heavy snowfall forced them to spend Saturday night in their cars. | |
| Hundreds of vehicles were caught in the snow on the AP-6 motorway in Castile and León and north-western parts of the Madrid region as people returned from Epiphany celebrations. | Hundreds of vehicles were caught in the snow on the AP-6 motorway in Castile and León and north-western parts of the Madrid region as people returned from Epiphany celebrations. |
| More than 150 members of the army’s military emergencies unit (UME) were deployed early on Sunday to help Guardia Civil officers reach stranded motorists. | More than 150 members of the army’s military emergencies unit (UME) were deployed early on Sunday to help Guardia Civil officers reach stranded motorists. |
| “There are a lot of vehicles trapped on the AP-6 but we’re working bit by bit and kilometre by kilometre to get to all of them as soon as possible,” the UME tweeted. | |
| By mid-morning, conditions had improved, making it easier for emergency workers to reach stranded drivers. Members of the Red Cross handed out hot drinks, blankets and high-energy food. | |
| Some of those trapped complained about the lack of information. Carlos Treviño and his wife spent 13 hours stuck in their car after trying to drive back to Madrid from Lugo in north-west Spain. | Some of those trapped complained about the lack of information. Carlos Treviño and his wife spent 13 hours stuck in their car after trying to drive back to Madrid from Lugo in north-west Spain. |
| “There are thousands of us here with no information,” he told El País by phone. “There’s been nothing, absolutely nothing. They’re not telling us what they’re doing on the radio or on the internet – or what’s going to happen to us. We haven’t seen a snowplough for hours.” | “There are thousands of us here with no information,” he told El País by phone. “There’s been nothing, absolutely nothing. They’re not telling us what they’re doing on the radio or on the internet – or what’s going to happen to us. We haven’t seen a snowplough for hours.” |
| The Guardia Civil advised anyone taking to the roads to plan their journey carefully and keep up to date with the latest advice and forecasts, while the head of Spain’s directorate general of traffic, Gregorio Serrano, tweeted: “Guardia Civil officers across Castilla and León are working tirelessly to free the vehicles trapped by snowfall in the AP-6. The UME is also on the way.” | The Guardia Civil advised anyone taking to the roads to plan their journey carefully and keep up to date with the latest advice and forecasts, while the head of Spain’s directorate general of traffic, Gregorio Serrano, tweeted: “Guardia Civil officers across Castilla and León are working tirelessly to free the vehicles trapped by snowfall in the AP-6. The UME is also on the way.” |
| Serrano called for caution and prudence in the face of the bad weather. “It’s very important not to drive on roads, dual carriageways or motorways without being up to date on the conditions and the weather forecasts, and only to do so if your journey is strictly necessary,” he said. “Let’s be very careful.” | Serrano called for caution and prudence in the face of the bad weather. “It’s very important not to drive on roads, dual carriageways or motorways without being up to date on the conditions and the weather forecasts, and only to do so if your journey is strictly necessary,” he said. “Let’s be very careful.” |