Kristina VankovaIn a sudden turn of events, Prague and its neighboring regions have been engulfed by a severe snowstorm, causing widespread disruption across the area. The snow calamity has significantly impacted the Prague Integrated Transport (PID) across the entire Central Bohemian Region, leading to delays in bus and train services, with many roads becoming impassable.
The Chaos Unfolds On Tuesday evening, drivers in Prague and its vicinity faced major challenges. The slippery roads, particularly in the northern part of Prague, saw a truck getting stuck on road 9 near Zdiby at the exit from D8 around 5:30 PM. This incident led to a traffic jam, as captured in footage by Jiří Forman from Aktu.cz. The truck, struggling on a mild slope, completely blocked the road.
A series of accidents occurred on the western outskirts of Prague, near Zličín. Vehicles initially collided on the road between Chýně and Chrášťany, followed by more accidents on the detour route between Sobín and Zličín. Reportedly, several of the crashed cars were equipped with summer tires, which contributed to the accidents.
Railway Disruptions The snowstorm has not spared the railway sector either. Trains S3, R21, and R43 experienced significant delays due to snow-covered switches at the Praha-Satalice, Praha-Čakovice, and Chotětov stations. Lines S5, R24, and R45 faced issues due to switch failures in Kladno, and line S34 was completely canceled. Several bus services across the Central Bohemian Region were either canceled, shortened, or delayed, with some buses getting stuck on snow-covered roads.
Accidents on D1 and Other Roads The gradual drop in temperature below freezing in the evening complicated the traffic situation in the Vysočina region. Drivers faced difficulties on D1 around Větrný Jeníkov, with a four-vehicle accident occurring near Krátká Ves in Havlíčkobrodsko. The D1 was reported to be poorly passable at several points, with vehicles colliding with guardrails and each other. Secondary roads also saw trucks struggling, leading to numerous accidents. The police resolved 17 accidents between 6 PM and 8 PM, urging drivers to exercise extreme caution.
Northern Olomouc Region Affected The snowfall also complicated traffic in the northern part of the Olomouc Region. In Vidnava, a bus slid into a ditch, while a stuck truck blocked the road in Vápenná on I/60. In Zlaté Hory, a collision between a bus and a truck blocked the road, requiring intervention from the fire brigade. Two personal vehicles were also rescued by firefighters near Hraběšice after sliding off the road.
Meteorological Warnings Meteorologists had issued warnings about “snow phenomena,” which were in effect until midnight on Tuesday. The risk of ice formation was expected to persist until the early morning hours. The cold weather is anticipated to continue until the weekend.
This unexpected snowstorm has brought life to a standstill in and around Prague, highlighting the challenges of winter weather and the importance of being prepared. The situation serves as a reminder of the unpredictability of nature and the need for caution during such extreme weather events.
