Heavy snowfall blocks transport in Europe

Severe winter weather in northern Europe caused the cancellation of hundreds of flights at Frankfurt Airport, Germany's busiest, while heavy snow in Scandinavia halted air traffic in Oslo for several hours. Zaventem Airport in Brussels has temporarily suspended flights.
A spokeswoman for Frankfurt Airport said 570 of 1,047 flights were grounded today as Germany's business capital braced for dramatic weather conditions.
By early afternoon, all remaining departures were temporarily suspended due to "freezing rain", although landings were still possible, a spokesman said. It is not clear how long the flight ban will last, AFP reported.
Munich Airport also reported "significant restrictions on flight services" due to bad weather, with 250 of 650 scheduled flights cancelled.
Oslo Airport was closed for several hours due to heavy snowfall before reopening at 3:30 p.m. local time. Most bus journeys in the Norwegian capital were canceled and rail operator Vy announced the closure of routes in large parts of the eastern part of the country.
In neighboring Sweden, the snow led to numerous road accidents in western and southern parts, causing traffic jams on several key roads.
"The road surface is very slippery and police are urging people to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary," police said in a statement.
Fatal road accident
German national carrier Lufthansa has advised passengers to confirm that their flights have not been canceled before leaving for airports.
Low-pressure system Gertrud, targeting southwestern and central Germany, expects up to 40 centimeters of snow and severe road conditions, especially in the state of Baden-Württemberg.
Police reported an "accumulation of accidents" on roads near Baden-Baden, while a 34-year-old driver in neighboring Rhineland-Palatinate crashed into a tree and died after veering off the road.
Firefighters and other first aid services in Rhineland-Palatinate are prepared for numerous road accidents and other emergencies by calling in extra personnel and vehicles. They urged motorists not to hit the roads except in urgent situations.
National rail company Deutsche Bahn said it was slowing its high-speed trains due to slippery conditions and warned of delays and cancellations on its network, particularly between the western cities of Cologne and Frankfurt.
Bus routes in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland were also out of service as the German weather service warned of extremely slippery roads and the risk of tree branches and power lines snapping under the weight of ice and snow.
In large parts of Bavaria, Germany's largest province, schools were closed in anticipation of dangerous winter conditions. /BGNES