Heavy snowstorms in France have left approximately 200,000 people without electricity and caused significant disruptions on highways and railway lines.
The severe weather began on Thursday, November 21. Over the past 24 hours, civil protection services have responded to about 1,200 incidents. Power outages have affected 200,000 consumers due to downed power lines, and repairs are expected to take more than a day.
Traffic on the A36 motorway in eastern France came to a near standstill early in the morning. Up to 5,000 trucks were stranded, many blocking the road due to skidding, while local authorities temporarily restricted further truck movement to prevent worsening conditions. By midday, the massive traffic jam began to clear.
Late Thursday evening, a major accident occurred on the A6B motorway. A coach carrying 37 passengers en route to Brest collided with four cars and a motorcyclist, causing the bus to overturn. Five people were hospitalized in critical condition.
Railway services were also disrupted due to fallen trees on tracks. Problems were reported in Normandy, Pays de la Loire, Nouvelle-Aquitaine and the Île-de-France region surrounding Paris.
In western France, 200 passengers were evacuated from an express train that was unable to continue its journey due to snowdrifts and fallen branches on the tracks. Many other trains arrived with significant delays.
