Dutch hit by first snowstorm in a decade as Europe shivers

THE HAGUE: The Netherlands and parts of Germany were blanketed on Sunday by a snowstorm that disrupted planes and trains and put some coronavirus testing on hold.

Britain was also bracing for heavy snow from what Dutch meteorologists have called Storm Darcy, which is packing winds of up to 90 kilometres (55 miles) an hour.

People rushed outdoors to enjoy sledging and playing in the snow in Dutch and German cities despite the bitterly cold conditions with temperatures as low as minus 5 degrees Celsius (23 Fahrenheit).

But Dutch authorities declared a rare "code red" emergency for the entire country as it was hit by its first proper snowstorm in more than a decade.

Weather forecasting website Weer.nl said that overnight a force-eight wind was measured in combination with snowfall, adding: "This officially means a snowstorm in our country".

"It is the first snowstorm in a long time: the last snowstorm took place in January 2010," it said.

Dozens of flights were delayed or cancelled at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport while Eindhoven airport in the south of the country scrapped all services.

All trains were cancelled in the Netherlands, including international services to Germany. Trams were halted in Amsterdam, while a tram derailed in the snow in The Hague, an AFP reporter saw.

Motorists were advised to avoid travelling and more than 80 cars were reported to have skidded off the road.

Most parts of the country had between five and 10 centimetres (two and four inches) of snow but some areas received 30 centimetres, public broadcaster NOS said.

The conditions were so severe that the Dutch government had closed all coronavirus testing centres for several days.