THE HAGUE, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Severe winter weather has caused widespread disruption to air, rail and road traffic across the Netherlands, with hundreds of flights canceled, train services reduced and major roads blocked. Travelers faced delays, while local residents saw their daily routines disrupted.
ORANGE WARNING FOR SNOWFALL
The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) issued a Code Orange snowfall warning for almost the entire country on Wednesday.
"An area of snow over the eastern half of the country will move eastward and leave the country by mid-afternoon. New snow showers will move in from the west during the afternoon," KNMI said in a statement.
KNMI forecast that coastal areas would receive 1-3 centimeters of snow, inland regions 5-10 centimeters, and the Wadden Islands and Limburg 2-5 centimeters.
"Roads, cycle paths and sidewalks will become slippery. Visibility may also be poor at times," the institute warned. "Traffic, as well as cyclists and pedestrians, will experience disruptions."
TRAFFIC CHAOS
Persistent winter weather and strong winds severely affected air traffic. Dutch flag carrier KLM announced late Tuesday that 600 flights scheduled for Wednesday had been canceled at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport due to snowy conditions. "More cancellations are expected. This will be mostly European flights." Schiphol Airport said on its official website on Wednesday.
On a fourth consecutive day of disruption at Schiphol, camp beds were set up in departure halls for stranded passengers. More than 1,000 people spent the night at the airport, according to Schiphol authorities.
Snowfall also severely affected rail services, particularly in the eastern part of the country. "The impact of the winter weather is more severe than expected," Dutch National Railways (NS) said on Wednesday. "There are numerous additional disruptions, resulting in fewer trains running across the country than previously announced."
According to Dutch public broadcaster NOS, fewer trains were operating on key routes, including Utrecht to Rotterdam, Utrecht to The Hague and Amsterdam to Gouda. An NS spokesperson cited widespread switch failures caused by freezing conditions.
Meanwhile, NS had implemented its winter timetable, meaning reduced services nationwide.
"If possible, postpone your trip. If you are traveling, expect extra travel time, more frequent transfers and crowded trains. Plan your trip shortly before departure for the most up-to-date travel advice," NS advised travelers.
Road traffic also ground to a halt. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management urged people to work from home, but congestion still built up rapidly on Wednesday morning. By 8:45 a.m. local time (0745 GMT), traffic jams totaled 704 kilometers nationwide-the worst Wednesday morning rush hour since 1999. By early afternoon, congestion remained heavy at around 52 kilometers, well above the usual average.
Public transport in major cities was heavily affected. In Rotterdam, trams and buses were temporarily suspended, and metro services disrupted, according to local media. Bus services were also halted in Utrecht and The Hague. In Amsterdam, the city's public transport operator GVB continued operating buses, trams and metro services, although most regional bus services were suspended.
DAILY LIFE AFFECTED
The severe weather also disrupted daily life. Some schools and educational institutions closed or switched to online lessons. Delivery services were hit hard, with online supermarket Picnic canceling all deliveries and DHL warning customers of package delays.
"Because we are advised from all sides not to go on the roads, we have decided not to deliver anywhere in the country," a Picnic spokesperson said. DHL said heavy snowfall made deliveries "much more difficult."
Supermarkets were also affected. On Tuesday evening, a reporter found that shelves of fresh vegetables were largely empty, and some meat products had sold out at an Albert Heijn supermarket in The Hague. Staff explained that persistent snowfall had delayed restocking. According to the supermarket chain, many stores were replenished on Wednesday.
NOS cited weather presenter Peter Kuipers Munneke, who reported that Thursday is forecast to be mainly dry, but more snow is expected on Friday. Temperatures will hover around freezing, though strong winds will make it feel as cold as minus 8 degrees Celsius. ■
