ALGERIA/ITALY: The Algerian capital experiences the heaviest snowfall in decades, snow in Rome forces businesses and shops to close

Record ID: 574057

  • Title: ALGERIA/ITALY: The Algerian capital experiences the heaviest snowfall in decades, snow in Rome forces businesses and shops to close
  • Date: 5th February 2012
  • Summary: SLUSH ON ROADSIDE WOMAN WALKING THROUGH SLUSH CYCLIST RIDING DOWN SLUSHY STREET YOUNG MEN TAKING PHOTOS WITH SNOWMAN SNOW COVERED STREET AND CARS SNOW COVERING TREE BRANCHES
  • Embargoed: 20th February 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy, Algeria
  • City:
  • Country: Algeria
  • Topics: Environment
  • Reuters ID: LVA5ZGW2N621H6IBZY1NQ6VEGVY8
  • Story Text: Snow fell on the northern tip of Africa on Saturday (February 4), dusting palm trees in the Algerian capital. Locals said it was the first time they remembered snow falling in Algiers in eight years.
    Temperatures fell to about minus 1 degree Celsius (30 degrees Fahrenheit), unusually low for the port city on the Mediterranean Sea.
    Palm tree branches bowed under the weight of snow, and main roads into and out of the capital were blocked. Residents, unaccustomed to snow, struggled to drive on slushy roads and walked through the streets taking photographs and throwing snowballs.
    In Rome, there was no sign of the usual hustle and bustle on Saturday (February 4) as the Italian capital sought to cope with unusually heavy snowfall.
    Few drivers took to the snow-covered streets and locals hitting the roads on foot sought clear paths in the snow that was slowly turning into slush and water.
    Many businesses remained closed on Saturday afternoon with employees struggling to reach their workplaces due to the adverse weather conditions.

    "I can see that half of the shops are closed it seems like it's a stalled situation here and let's not even discuss what will happen Monday," said Rome resident Paolo Pasca.
    Diggers could be seen removing the snow from the roads as city authorities hope to clear up the situation before the start of the new week.

    "It seems a little bit better today, more than anything because it's Saturday and there is less traffic. The inconveniences are obvious because it is an exceptional thing and the city is not organised in a way to face these things. We need to stay patient," said local man Paolo de Luca.
    The capital snarled to a halt at mid-day on Friday (February 3) as a rainstorm turned into heavy snowfall.
    Even though the city's mayor Gianni Alemanno had closed schools for the day, most people had driven to work as usual in cars or on vespas.
    As the snow continued to fall for hours, most streets became blocked and vehicles sat bumper to bumper on blocked throughways.
    In the the central shopping areas some of the streets were eerily deserted of cars and vespa riders could be seen either trying to park their vehicles or driving along keeping their feet on the ground.
    Four-hundred volunteers had been deployed on the roads, civil protection authorities said on Friday as mayor Alemanno asked for chains on car tyres to be made obligatory in the centre until noon-time Sunday (February 5).
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