Snow blankets Europe

Source: China Daily | 01-06-2009 13:11

PARIS: A winter storm brought blankets of snow across Europe on Monday, forcing the closure of an icy Eiffel Tower in Paris and causing flight cancellations.

Youngsters toboggan in the snow, in Princes Risborough, southern England January 5, 2009. [Agencies]

Up to four inches of snow was recorded in parts of France, the national weather service said. Most areas, including Paris, got around half that amount.

French authorities issued traffic alerts in around 30 regions because of icy roads.

The Eiffel Tower, one of Paris' main tourist attractions, was closed because of slippery conditions.

"We can't put down salt because it's metallic," Eiffel Tower press officer Isabelle Esnous said. "We can't use sand either ... because it risks getting into the elevator (cogs)."

The cold, she said, is no problem, but snow can be dangerous.

A dozen flights were canceled at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport, officials said. The Paris airport authority said bad weather in other parts of Europe contributed to the cancellations.

Workers had been deployed since midnight Sunday to clear runways at Charles de Gaulle and the smaller Orly airport.