One death as black ice disrupts north, code red weather warning again
There were dozens of accidents in the north of the country on Wednesday as black ice continued to turn the roads and cycle paths into skating rinks.
The KNMI increased its weather warning for the northern provinces of Groningen, Drenthe and Friesland to code red because of the disruption. According to motoring organisation ANWB, the situation on some roads is much worse than on Tuesday.
Schools were closed and scores of events were cancelled as transport ministry officials urged people to stay home. A skating marathon race in Assen was also scrapped because both participants and spectators could not reach the outdoor rink.
One man from Assen is said to have died after slipping while out walking his dog. He was found by passersby but died at the scene.
Milk
Dairy cooperative FrieslandCampina asked some 450 farmers in the north of the country to pump their milk into manure pits on Wednesday because its drivers were unable to make collections.
In total, up to five million litres of milk may be dumped, broadcaster Nos says. It is not clear if farmers will be compensated for the lost income. Farming organisation LTO Nederland described the situation as ‘extreme’.
Warmer winds
The risk of black ice forming is greatest north of the line from Petten on the coast to Lelystad and Enschede. Black ice will continue to form into the evening but should begin to disappear on Thursday during the day as warmer winds move in, the KNMI weather bureau said.
The last time the Netherlands had to deal with such severe black ice was in February 1979, the KNMI said. Black ice is formed when rain lands on ground which is below zero degrees.
As on Tuesday, hundreds of people took advantage of the frozen roads to strap on their skates.
Bij ons in de straat maakt dit @UNISFlyers jeugdtalent zijn oefenrondjes #ijzel 👍 pic.twitter.com/eGdAncE6HH
— Jelle Zoetendal (@jellezoetendal) January 6, 2016
In Friesland, a lorry carrying packages of gritting salt overturned
Vrachtwagen met 16 ton consumentenstrooizout gekanteld. #friesland pic.twitter.com/12q3sej5bN — Jeroen de Jager (@Geluidjager) January 6, 2016
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