Slippery black ice turned into milder conditions across Germany on Monday, surrounded by snow and ice, creating a travel headache as flights from the country’s biggest airport were cancelled.
Authorities reported that conditions in the northern states of Lower Saxony and Bremen caused a number of traffic accidents, killing one driver.
After days of snow and freezing conditions, a low pressure system moves across the Atlantic Ocean across northern Europe, melting and refreezing ice, forming a dangerous and invisible black ice layer.
Reduced flights at Frankfurt Airport
Frankfurt Airport, Germany’s busiest airport, has announced delays and flight cancellations due to runway maintenance.
Of the 1,100 scheduled takeoffs and landings on Monday, a spokesperson said the airport had already canceled 176 in the morning.
Airport bosses didn’t completely ground operations, but they did reduce the number of aircraft that could land per hour.
The northwest runway was closed in the morning, and vehicles covered with gravel entered the runway.
continuous operation. Aircraft de-icing also contributed to the delay.
The airport has asked travelers to check in advance whether the flight they have booked will take off and to arrive at the check-in desk as soon as possible.
road conditions become deadly
The German Weather Service (DWD) warned that some roads and railways could become impassable ahead of Monday’s rush hour.
A 25-year-old driver has died in an early morning accident on the highway between Hannover and Bremen. Highway police said the vehicle slid off the road and hit a tree due to the slippery conditions. The driver died on the spot.
The road was completely closed and partially reopened in the morning.
Other road accidents have been reported in northern, western and central Germany, and surgical hospitalizations for pedestrian falls on sidewalks have also increased.
In much of Lower Saxony, including Hannover, Osnabrück and Göttingen, authorities canceled school classes on Monday.
In most of Germany, DWD advised people to stay outdoors as much as possible and be prepared for obstacles on all roads.
rc/fb (AFP, DPA)
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