At least four people have died in Spain as a result of the chaos caused by Storm Filomena on January 9. The snow has blocked more than 650 roads, with some drivers forced to spend the night in their cars.
The sudden blizzard, which blanketed the Spanish capital with 25-50cm of snow, has already been called by experts the heaviest in 50 years.
Wow!!! Madrid!! pic.twitter.com/atdhZ7CM6m
— Alan por el mundo (@alanxelmundo) January 9, 2021
Madrid City Centre today as the snow storm has his Spain 🇪🇸... pic.twitter.com/pkckBb0gK3
— Fr. Robbie O’Callaghan (@FrRobbieOCall) January 9, 2021
I know there will be lots of this today but the snow in Madrid really is extraordinary: heaviest in 50 years, bringing the city to a ghostly halt pic.twitter.com/GsnwDVPUlN
— Michael Reid (@michaelreid52) January 9, 2021
Madrid, Spain
— Van Fontanilla (@vaniefontanilla) January 9, 2021
Jan 2021 vs Jan 2020.
Weather was Baguio-ish fine when I was there same time last year. Now I heard it's been snowing for days in a row? It doesn't usually snow there. 😮😱🤯 Mantente caliente Madrileños! #climatechangebereal pic.twitter.com/YMvuEXjHOw
Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska has urged people across the country to avoid all but essential travel, while the Madrid City Council has called on residents to stay in their homes due to the emergency situation.
The authorities’ warnings, however, did not stop Madrid residents from enjoying the unusual weather. Many of them decided to make the most of this “emergency situation,” as videos on social media show people having snowball fights, as well as skiing and sliding through the streets.
For the first time in decades, Madrid is completely covered in snow.
— Goodable (@Goodable) January 9, 2021
This is how people in the city responded.
❄️ ☃️pic.twitter.com/a10qgEMZYJ
Meanwhile in Madrid, Spain.. pic.twitter.com/hqd0g7iV7o
— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden_) January 9, 2021
People are now skiing through Madrid pic.twitter.com/rTJ7BbYeYc
— Tom Allnutt (@TomAllnuttAFP) January 9, 2021
COLD WEATHER: Siberia? Nope, just central Madrid after the biggest snow fall in perhaps 40 or 50 years | #OOTT #LNG pic.twitter.com/CWYNlQpbo2
— Javier Blas (@JavierBlas) January 9, 2021
Tow-skiing in Madrid.. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/EHVORemHov
— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden_) January 9, 2021
Meanwhile in Madrid pic.twitter.com/9Mx84Zz3YA
— stefan crisan (@stefancrisan) January 9, 2021
