Thousands of drivers and passengers on public transport in the UK were hit by snowfall this Monday (12), mainly in the London area, and three children fell dead while playing on a frozen lake.
The country has been facing a particularly intense cold wave for several days, with temperatures reaching -10°C in some areas, although the British weather agency says temperatures are “not unusual for this time of year”.
On Sunday, four children who fell into a frozen lake in central England’s Solihull were rescued from a heart attack and hospitalized in critical condition. According to eyewitnesses, they fell into the water while playing on the ice.
Police announced on Monday that it was not possible to resuscitate the three people, ages 8, 10 and 11. The fourth child, 6 years old, is fighting for his life in a “critical condition”.
The weather agency has issued yellow warnings for snow, fog and frost in various parts of England, particularly southern England and northern Scotland.
Stansted Airport, located north of the UK capital and predominantly used by budget airline Ryanair, closed its runways on Sunday night as the snow cleared and warned of delays and cancellations.
– Drivers blocked for hours –
In a statement sent to AFP, it said the airport’s website explained that many flights scheduled for Monday morning were cancelled, but that the runways are now “open and fully operational” and that “some flights may be delayed”. weather conditions.
Ryanair also wrote on Twitter that “Due to heavy snowfall in England, runways at Stansted and Gatwick airports (south London) were temporarily closed overnight, interrupting all scheduled flights.”
Dozens of passengers stranded at airports in the British capital posted videos on social media showing snow-covered runways and planes that couldn’t take off.
More than 50 flights were canceled due to fog at Heathrow Airport, the capital’s largest, on Sunday, the BBC reported.
Traffic was still very heavy on Monday morning due to heavy traffic jams on London’s main roads.
On Sunday night, especially in Sussex, south London, some drivers were stuck in their vehicles for several hours after being caught in a snowstorm, where police had advised “travel only if necessary”.
Passengers on the rail system faced significant delays and cancellations as some London Underground lines were interrupted or experienced delays on Monday morning.
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© Agence France-Presse
source: Noticias
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.