On Tuesday, half of Spain was still struggling to deal with the cold snap that has followed on the heels of Storm Filomena, a blizzard that blanketed many parts of the country with record snowfall this weekend, leaving several dead and thousands stranded on roads.
A severe drop in temperatures has now turned accumulated snow into ice, multiplying the risk of falls, creating dangerous driving conditions and testing authoritiesâ ability to respond to the numerous calls for help. In Madrid, citizens with four-wheel-drive vehicles were volunteering to take people to hospitals as ambulances struggled to cope with demand and the weather conditions.