Freezing rain paralyses transport in Central Europe

Snow and freezing temperatures buffeted Europe last week, with gale-force winds and storms claiming some 15 lives, causing travel mayhem, shutting schools, and cutting power to hundreds of thousands. A thick layer of ice on the Vienna airport runways led to arriving flights being diverted to other airports, while all departing flights were put on hold early Tuesday. Austria's state railway company OeBB also asked travellers to postpone non-urgent journeys, with numerous train connections facing interruptions and cancellations.