Sweden snowstorm: Traffic chaos after spate of crashes
Police urged drivers in southern and western Sweden to stay at home after another blizzard swept in across the country.
The E22 road was closed for hours in both directions between Lund and Gårdstånga after at least four accidents.
Police said they closed the road to allow the vehicles to be salvaged without risking the build-up of a queue – as happened on the same motorway a few kilometres north of the scene earlier this month, when some 1,000 cars were left stranded for as long as 20 hours.
By around 1.30pm, one lane reopened in a southbound direction, but the road was also closed further north near Kristianstad after two trucks got stuck in the snow.
Traffic also on Wednesday ground to a standstill on the E6 motorway between Lomma and Bjärred, in the northbound direction, after four vehicles toppled over or went off the road in the snowstorm.
No injuries were immediately reported, but it could take a while before the roads are clear.
EXPLAINED:
Police urged all drivers to think twice before heading out.
“We want people to avoid heading out on the roads unless they absolutely have to. The road conditions are very poor and not just on these roads, but in generally in western parts of the region,” police press spokesperson Katarina Rusin told Swedish news agency TT.
Several accidents were reported in western Sweden as well on Wednesday.
The E20 near Vara had to close after a pile-up of trucks at around 9am. Two hours later police said they were about to reopen the road.
But according to western police spokesperson Hans-Jörgen Ostler, traffic had been reasonably calm.
"I feel like people have been generally vigilant and paid attention to warnings, and are driving carefully or working from home," he told TT.
"But if you do head out there's still the risk that you get stuck in queues. It's windy so drifting snow could quickly build up and be dangerous, so if you don't have to drive I would advise against it," he added.
At Landvetter airport, a KLM plane bound for Amsterdam slid off the runway and got stuck in the snow.
No one was injured in the incident.
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The E22 road was closed for hours in both directions between Lund and Gårdstånga after at least four accidents.
Police said they closed the road to allow the vehicles to be salvaged without risking the build-up of a queue – as happened on the same motorway a few kilometres north of the scene earlier this month, when some 1,000 cars were left stranded for as long as 20 hours.
By around 1.30pm, one lane reopened in a southbound direction, but the road was also closed further north near Kristianstad after two trucks got stuck in the snow.
Traffic also on Wednesday ground to a standstill on the E6 motorway between Lomma and Bjärred, in the northbound direction, after four vehicles toppled over or went off the road in the snowstorm.
No injuries were immediately reported, but it could take a while before the roads are clear.
EXPLAINED:
Police urged all drivers to think twice before heading out.
“We want people to avoid heading out on the roads unless they absolutely have to. The road conditions are very poor and not just on these roads, but in generally in western parts of the region,” police press spokesperson Katarina Rusin told Swedish news agency TT.
Several accidents were reported in western Sweden as well on Wednesday.
The E20 near Vara had to close after a pile-up of trucks at around 9am. Two hours later police said they were about to reopen the road.
But according to western police spokesperson Hans-Jörgen Ostler, traffic had been reasonably calm.
"I feel like people have been generally vigilant and paid attention to warnings, and are driving carefully or working from home," he told TT.
"But if you do head out there's still the risk that you get stuck in queues. It's windy so drifting snow could quickly build up and be dangerous, so if you don't have to drive I would advise against it," he added.
At Landvetter airport, a KLM plane bound for Amsterdam slid off the runway and got stuck in the snow.
No one was injured in the incident.
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