UK reports 3 deaths and transport chaos as heavy snowfall grips nation

London, Dec 12 (EFE) – Heavy overnight snowfall across the United Kingdom has caused major disruptions to transport on Monday, with the temporary closure of London’s Stansted airport and flight delays at Heathrow and Gatwick, according to British authorities.

The Met Office warned drivers of the risk of snow, ice, and freezing fog on the roads, and recommended avoiding travel if possible, especially in London, southeast and southwest England, central England, and Northern Ireland, where the heaviest snowfall was recorded.

Met chief Matthew Lehnert explained in a statement that cold weather is expected to continue during the week, as “daytime temperatures will struggle to get above freezing”, and overnight temperatures are expected “to drop below -10 C in rural parts of Scotland.”

The runway of Stansted airport was closed for some hours and then reopened around 3:00 local time.

In London, subway stations closed and sections of the underground service were not operational, while rail lines, such as those in southeast England also suffered disruptions.

In Solihull, near Birmingham, in central England, three children — aged 8, 10, and 11 — died after being rescued on Sunday from a frozen lake into which they had fallen while playing on the icy surface, West Midlands police reported on Monday.

A fourth child, aged 6, is still hospitalized and in a critical condition. EFE

vg/aef/ch