Heavy snowfalls have pounded northeastern Spain, knocking out power for about 220 thousand users, cancelling flights and forcing the closure of schools in Barcelona and the surrounding areas, officials say.

Accumulations of up to 60cm of snow have been forecast for the worst affected areas of Catalonia, prompting the regional government to cancel classes for more than 145,000 students at 476 public schools.

Power was lost in homes throughout the region on Monday, while traffic on 156 roads in the area was either prohibited or restricted.

Spain’s border with France at La Jonquera was closed because of the snow, leaving about 3000 trucks stranded, public radio RNE reported.

Bus service in Barcelona was suspended just before the evening rush hour and commuters were encouraged to use the Mediterranean port city’s metro system instead.

The City Council enabled three sports centres, five parking garages and between 2000 and 3000 beds in 50 hotels at a discount so that people who could not leave the town could spend the night there, but according to Jordi Hereu, Barcelona’s Mayor, “no citizen has requested” these services so far.

While Barcelona’s El Prat airport was operating normally, six flights out of the airport in nearby Girona were cancelled and several more were delayed because of the snowfall, which was accompanied by strong winds.

via Spain snowfalls wreak havoc in Catalonia | Momento 24.