Iona Napier
A BOUT of heavy snow in northern Spain left at least 220 motorists trapped on the roads and hundreds of schoolchildren unable to go to lessons.
Heavy snow and freezing temperatures crippled links between Cantabria and Meseta with cars stuck overnight in subzero temperatures.
In Cantabria a branch of the armed forces for disaster relief (UME) and the Guardia Civil reportedly rescued 220 people from their cars and cleared roads.
The cold snap has raised weather alerts for 20 provinces and train network Renfe cancelled services between Asturias and Leon as well as interruptions in Girona.
While the orange alert for winds up to 90 km/h has been raised for eight provinces, Malaga is on yellow alert.
Someone tell Ian Duncan Smith.
Its Chrimbo!
How many expats live there? How much snow does the CDS, C Blanca coastal strip get?
Heard the other night that quite a lot of elderly have died in the UK because they really could not afford to heat their homes, and this happens every Winter!
He’d only cackle with glee Fred.
Mike,
a lot more than you think, the whole Med coast cannot compare with north west Spain. Very surprised about Cantabria, it must be inland because the coast has a very mild climate, protected by a a great wall of mountains.
Astrurias – always lots of snow every winter – Picos de Europa – magical winter or summer.
@ Stuart it was a tongue in cheek question and I know that part of Spain can get very cold, have been to Picos de Europa etc, generally not hugely populated by Brits, as on the coast. I could however understand wfa paid to pensioners there and up in the mountains down south.
My real question though is how many expat pensioners have died due to cold weather on the Southern Spanish coastal strip and, from living on the coast, so far I’ve not seen snow in Marbella environs itself but the odd flurry if at all shouldn’t kill anyone off.
but is it not money they deserve? the very people who paid into the system and by the very nature they are living abroad a re gaining or claiming nothing from the state,or do you think as proposed by labour today the money should go to new fathers to have a jolly for 4 weeks at our expense.
Mike…you win the most ignorant post of the year award so far!! Senior citizens of the UK should not be penalised for moving to another part of the EU…..especially if they have paid into the system!
Exactly, pg. So why are we being penalised? The UK still appears to be handing out money and aid here, there, indeed almost everywhere – but we British expat OAP’s are apparently pariahs, unworthy, of no account, even though most of us have paid into the system all our working lives.
Incidentally, although snow may be a rarity, freezing temperatures are common in the Cadiz area. I have often awoken to find everywhere covered with a thick layer of white frost, and often the bird bath (a large one, not one of those tiny little things) is frozen solid. BUT it is not only cold that kills. This area is very prone to damp, which can also be extremely dangerous so far as the elderly are concerned. Very few properties here have damp proof courses, double glazing – or indeed any type of insulation at all (and, of course, there is no assistance available to expats in this regard). Every winter the walls and ceilings develop black mould, which has to be regularly washed off with a bleach mixture. It is therefore very important that we are able to heat our homes, and the withdrawal of the WFA can only exacerbate an already existing health risk. There would doubtless be an outcry if this were happening to elderly folk in the UK.
Of course there is another way of looking at this. If we die from bronchitis, pneumonia, or some similar cold/damp related disease the UK government won’t have to pay us our pensions either!
Tis you that is ignorant PG, this wfa has only been paid since 1997, so Brits have not paid into the system for it because it was an add-on and originally means tested. You clearly do not know what are add ons and what are not, it is not part of pension despite being paid upon reaching pensioner age. Now read my post properly if you are capable and you will see that I clearly understand wfa paid there (re the article) and up in the mountains.
If you have a problem with it sign a Government petition and collect the 100,000 signatures needed, I don’t set the rules, they do, I’m merely pointing out what you cannot grasp!!! Do keep up Lol
Mike,dear boy you are splitting hairs……and mike,pats comment above says it all for me!…..and FYIiam not a pensioner ,i just don’t like the injustice of it!
So you think facts are splitting hairs dear soul? Some people need to know the facts so they know were they stand Lol When you make stupid comments about posting ‘win the award for the most ignorant post of the year’ but don’t check your facts then it’s you who is ignorant!!!! Again, no-one has paid into WFA and it will no doubt be withdrawn totally in time for everyone other than really desperate pensioners.
I don’t need to know whether you are a pensioner or not, as to the injustice of it that’s not for me to say as I said ‘I don’t set the rules’. Contact IDS about it, he’s not even a favourite of mine, so if I felt like you do I would write to him and get others to do the same and also to sign a Government petition. BTW dear soul, we’ve owned a property for some 15 years on the coast but did our homework on average temperatures Winter and Summer, good choice we made, rarely do we need heat other than take the chill off for a few minutes. There!
Sorry no time to reply in depth…….IM CUTTING LOGS FOR USE ON THE FIRE!!!!…..don’t know where you are but its cold in torremolinos tonight!!