Spain: Madrid blocked by a snowstorm in the midst of a pandemic
The snow-covered main entrance of La Paz University Hospital in Madrid, January 9, 2021. REUTERS - SUSANA VERA
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
A huge concern in Madrid.
It is the worst snowstorm in the past 50 years, said Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska.
Three people have died in the country, including one in the capital.
Five provinces, including that of Madrid, are on red alert, 652 roads affected and, next week, an intense cold spell is in forecast, all against the backdrop of an advancing pandemic.
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With our correspondent in Madrid,
François Musseau
Madrid is a city, so to speak, on lockdown: the airport and train stations are closed, road traffic is almost completely interrupted, except for police vans and ambulances, and it will be some time before this is restored.
Hundreds of trees have been uprooted, chaos reigns everywhere.
We are going to do all we can to restore normality, assured the Minister of the Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska.
The situation is especially complicated for people who have to go to health centers and hospitals.
Virginia Ramirez, a television producer, is directly concerned: “
My father has to come for surgery for tumors in the colon.
He comes from a village in the province of Toledo and we do not know for sure, with the difficulty of accessing, whether this Monday the first part of the operation can take place or not.
"
Virginia's father will hopefully get a date later.
But it is much more worrying for all Covid patients who cannot go to the emergency room, road access being very complicated and provided by volunteers.
Nursing staff have had to lengthen their rotations because many cannot get to hospitals.
As for the
vaccination campaign
, where Madrid is already very late compared to other regions, it had to be postponed for a few days.
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See also: Spain: the worst snowstorm in 50 years is causing chaos in the country
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