The cold and ice paralyze airports, train tracks and roads in Central Europe

Vienna.- The cold wave and freezing rain that are hitting Central Europe have paralyzed the airports of Vienna and Prague for several hours this Tuesday, and have caused numerous delays on train and road routes, while the most daring take advantage of the partially frozen Danube to skate and play hockey. In Vienna, the international airport stopped its operations until 11:00 local time (10:00 GMT), due to the layer of ice that covered runways, platforms and adjacent service roads which, according to statements from a spokesperson to the agency, "froze again immediately after the de-icing tasks". In the city center, pedestrians have had to navigate icy sidewalks, walking cautiously to avoid slipping, while municipal services removed snow and spread salt to melt it.

"I hadn't seen anything like that in 10 years," Denis, a 30-year-old Austrian, told EFE.

Sebilaç and Abraham, two Turkish tourists, were satisfied with the security and cleaning measures to remove the ice. However, not everything is a problem: some people have taken advantage of the fact that an arm of the Danube River is partially frozen and it is possible to ice skate or play hockey, although the authorities warn of the risk of falls and ice breakage and recommend not venturing onto the river. Others take the cold with humor, like the team at the Schönbrunn Zoo, who shared a video on Instagram in which they teach how to "walk like penguins" to avoid slipping, showing how to take small steps and kick the ground, imitating the animals, to maintain balance on the ice.

Ice on Prague Roads

The Prague airport has also suffered the consequences of freezing rain, which has limited its operations, especially on arrivals, causing flight delays throughout the day. "Arrivals are being limited to ensure the de-icing of the main runway, taxiways and aircraft parking stands," airport spokeswoman Denisa Hejtmánková told the public broadcaster CT24 this morning.

The ice has also caused problems on roads and railways across the country.

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In the capital, Prague, ice complicated morning traffic on public transport, especially on the outskirts of the city. In the Central Bohemia, South Moravia and Olomouc regions, to the northeast, some bus lines also did not operate in the morning due to ice.

Extreme Cold in Romania

Romania is also suffering an episode of extreme cold this Tuesday, with temperatures that have reached -13 degrees, especially in the center and north of the country. The situation has become complicated in Bucharest due to breakdowns in the heating system that affect tens of thousands of residents and complicate the activity of some hospitals, where non-urgent surgeries have been postponed and some hospitalizations have been delayed. Authorities have adopted emergency measures, including virtual classes in several schools, and are working to ensure gas supply and care for the homeless while the polar air mass is expected to remain until Friday.