Snow paralyses transport in parts of Western Europe

 

Passengers slept on camp beds at Charles de Gaulle airport as half the flights were cancelled

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Two thousand travellers have been left stranded at the main Paris airport, Roissy-Charles de Gaulle, as further snow hits France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. Half the flights at Charles de Gaulle have been cancelled, largely because of a shortage of de-icing fluid.
In Belgium, police advised drivers to stay at home. Hundreds of accidents were reported across Germany.
While in northern Italy, heavy rain has caused flooding in parts of Venice. Unusually high water levels were reported in the Venice lagoon and in the town of Vicenza, west of Venice, people were moved from their homes because of high river levels. The Danish authorities on the Baltic island of Bornholm say they have given up trying to clear roads blocked by snowdrifts. Three people have been reported missing and police have reiterated pleas to people to stay indoors because of the treacherous conditions.
Hundreds of tourists spent the night in army barracks and a sports hall and it is thought many of them may be unable to return to the mainland before Christmas.
Traffic paralysed In western Germany, traffic was described as paralysed in parts of North Rhine Westphalia. Further east, the railway line between Berlin and Hanover was blocked because of frozen overhead power-lines.

High water levels in the Venice lagoon led to flooding in St Mark's Square

The French authorities, struggling to cope with the country's third major snowfall of the winter, said fresh supplies of de-icing fluid were on their way to Charles de Gaulle airport but would not arrive before Monday.
Passengers were also stranded overnight at Charleroi airport in Belgium although some flights were operating on Friday morning.
Cancellations were also reported at Brussels airport and buses were not running in the capital and other areas.
Heavy snow was forecast for parts of Scotland and north-east England on Friday and passengers hoping to return home for Christmas by train were warned of reduced services on several lines.