Schools Remain Closed Amid Calls For” Disaster Zone” Relief

Schools across the region are to remain closed until Monday 18th January as local government inspectors check for damage and risk to pupils due to the effects of Storm Filomena which brought the heaviest snowfall in 50 years to Madrid.

The head of the Madrid regional government, Isabel Diaz Ayuso said it was“necessary to fix damage and guarantee a safe return to the classroom after the snow and the cold.”

In the meantime all classes are being held online.

Madrid´s city mayor, José Luis Martínez-Almeida called on the central government to declare Madrid a “disaster area” amid the ongoing recovery effort to return the city to normality.

Barajas Airport has now re-opened and the local commuter Cercanias train service has also been resumed.

The regions´s bus services are operating some services with key corridors being kept open to the major municipalities outside the capital whilst there are 17 bus routes open in the capital that connect to the city’s hospitals.

The city council has also resumed the bus service to Mercamadrid which is now also back to normal after deliveries from around the country were able to make it through for this morning´s opening with around 1,000 lorries escorted in under police convoy.

However the resumption of normal bus routes is being delayed to the slowness in clearing roads, with an estimated 700 main roads still blocked and many neighbourhoods effectively cut off by road.