Heavy snowfall forces cancellation of 140 flights at Paris airports

The severe storm and bone-chilling temperatures across Europe have resulted in the cancellation of 100 flights at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport on Wednesday morning, and a further 40 at the French capital’s Orly airport.

According to Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot, the disruption was predicted late Tuesday, and he expressed hope that the situation would return to normal this afternoon.

Due to the serious situation, all public bus services in Paris and the surrounding suburbs were suspended because of icy roads, though the vast majority of metro and suburban rail systems remain operational.

The Meteo France weather service said 38 of the country’s 96 mainland departments were on heavy alert for heavy snow and black ice, with three to seven centimeters of snow already accumulated.

According to ALARABIYA English, the Meteo France weather service said that 38 of the country’s 96 mainland departments were on high alert for heavy snow and black ice, with three to seven centimeters of snow already accumulated.

The authorities have warned people in Paris to avoid unnecessary travel and to work at home, if possible, on Wednesday.

However, six people have already died in weather related incidents in France during Europe’s bitterest cold snap so far.