- Title: Heavy snow in northern Algeria causes power cuts, road closures
- Date: 18th January 2017
- Summary: MEDEA, ALGERIA, (JANUARY 17, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF HILLS COVERED IN SNOW CAR DRIVING THROUGH SNOW ON ROAD VARIOUS OF CAR TRAFFIC DRIVING THROUGH HEAVY SNOW VARIOUS OF ARMY VEHICLES DRIVING ON SNOWY ROADS RESIDENT OF AIN EL MALEH VILLAGE, ABDELKADER, WALKING IN SNOW NEAR HOME DOG TAKING SHELTER FROM SNOWFALL ABDELKADER STANDING IN SNOW (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT OF AIN EL MALEH VILLAGE, ABDELKADER, SAYING: "There is no gas. There is no gasoline, and with this rain we can't even move. Children can't go to school." ABDELKADER WALKING ALGERIAN CIVIL DEFENCE TRUCKS VARIOUS OF CIVIL DEFENCE OFFICERS SHOVELLING SNOW TO CLEAR ROADS CIVIL DEFENCE OFFICERS UPDATING DRIVERS ON ROAD CONDITIONS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CIVIL DEFENCE OFFICER, BENFAHSI KARIM, SAYING: "The roads are open, but they are difficult to take. The civil defence service is here to facilitate traffic movement and to help people in the region in this area." CIVIL DEFENCE OFFICERS SHOVELLING SNOW ON ROADSIDE VARIOUS OF HOUSES COVERED IN SNOW VARIOUS OF CIVIL DEFENCE OFFICERS WALKING AND CLEARING SNOW NEAR HOMES VARIOUS OF CHILD STANDING IN SNOW VARIOUS OF CIVIL DEFENCE OFFICERS CLEARING SNOW (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT OF AIN EL MALEH VILLAGE, BENZAKER, SAYING: "The weather is rainy as you can see. We have no gas and no wood." TWO CHILDREN STANDING IN SNOW VARIOUS OF HOUSES COVERED IN SNOW CAR DRIVING THROUGH HEAVY SNOW CHILD IN SNOW (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT OF AIN EL MALEH VILLAGE, MOHAMED, SAYING: "We are completely isolated, we have been without gas and without electricity for four days. The roads are cut. The children can't go to school. Everything is closed. Today only after four days the Civil Defence services came to open the roads." A MAN AND WOMAN WALKING IN SNOW VARIOUS OF CHILDREN PLAYING IN SNOW
- Embargoed: 1st February 2017 14:21
- Keywords:
- Location: MEDEA, ALGERIA
- City: MEDEA, ALGERIA
- Country: Algeria
- Topics: Environment,Weather
- Reuters ID: LVA0015ZLV1W5
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Heavy snow swept across the northern Algerian province of Medea on Tuesday (January 17), causing road blocks, school closures and power cuts.
People from the small village of Ain el Maleh said they are unable to receive supplies by road and were suffering with dwindling gas and power supplies, ever since the heavy snowfall began a few days earlier.
"There is no gas. There is no gasoline, and with this rain we can't even move. Children can't go to school," said one villager, 76-year-old Abdelkader.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Interior and local authorities said in a statement that an emergency plan was in place to deal with the snow.
The Algerian Civil Defence were on hand to clear snow from roads and near houses, in order to reopen the roads.
"The roads are open, but they are difficult to take. The civil defence service is here to facilitate traffic movement and to help people in the region in this area," Benfahsi Karim from the Civil Defence said.
The officers also helped open smaller mountain roads and guided traffic through the area.
Another resident of Ain el Maleh, 33-year-old Mohamed said the village had suffered an electricity outage and road blocks for four days, with children unable to get to school.
"We are completely isolated, we have been without gas and without electricity for four days. The roads are cut. The children can't go to school. Everything is closed. Today only after four days the Civil Defence services came to open the roads," Mohamed said.
And with more snow forecast for the region, residents are concerned about further road blocks and dwindling supplies of fuel. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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