THE AIRPORT AT THE HAGUE, GROUNDED AIRCRAFT; BLOCKED RAILWAY LINES; ICE-COVERED ROADS.




Initials RGM/NTS/BHH/EEH



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Background: THE NETHERLANDS HAS JOINED OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE WHICH, IN RECENT WEEKS, HAVE BEEN HIT BY SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS. HEAVY SNOWFALLS HAVE BROUGHT WIDE AREAS OF NORTHERN HOLLAND TO A STANDSTILL.

OTHER COUNTRIES HIT BY THE LATEST WAVE OF BELOW-FREEZING WEATHER HAVE BEEN THE NORTH-EASTERN STATES OF THE UNITED STATES AND SCANDINAVIA, WHERE HUGE WALLS OF ICE IN THE STRAITS BETWEEN SWEDEN AND FINLAND ARE MOVING TOWARDS THE SWEDISH COAST.

TROOPS WERE CALLED OUT TO HELP FREE THREE SNOWBOUND TRAINS IN THE NORTHERN PROVINCE OF DRENTHE.

AND AT AMSTERDAM'S SCHIPHOL AIRPORT, MOST INCOMING FLIGHTS WERE CANCELLED WHEN FOG ADDED TO THE SNOW HAZARD. SEVERAL PLANES TOOK OFF, BUT OFTEN AFTER LONG DELAY.

MUCH OF THE NORTH OF THE COUNTRY CAME TO A STOP AS BLOCKED ROADS FILLED WITH ABANDONED VEHICLES AND WHOLE VILLAGE COMMUNITIES WERE CUT OFF.

TODAY, TRAFFIC WAS MOVING AGAIN IN MANY PLACES, THOUGH SEVERAL VILLAGES IN THE NORTH REMAINED ISOLATED.