Thousands Trapped in Vehicles as Heavy Snow Shuts Down Spanish Highway

Associated Press
Published: January 20,2017

A man drives his car through a street covered with snow after a snowfall at the city of Ronda, southern Spain, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017. Further north and east thousands were trapped in their vehicles on a highway between Madrid and Valencia due to the snow.
((AP Photo/Javier Gonzalez))

Heavy snow trapped some 2,000 people in their vehicles overnight as heavy snowfall cut off several roads in eastern Spain.
The Spanish army's emergency unit said Friday it was distributing blankets and hot drinks to hundreds of people trapped on the A3 highway linking Madrid to the coastal city of Valencia and on other roads in the region.
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Soldiers and firefighters used snowplows to try to clear the snow, managing to open A3 traffic toward Valencia although it remained blocked toward Madrid.
Some train services in the region were also interrupted.
Heavy snowfall and rainstorms have hit many parts of Spain this week with some eastern coastal tourist towns reporting their first snow in decades.
The AEMET weather agency said that more snow and freezing temperatures were expected Friday.
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