Massive snowfall in Madrid breaks 50-year record

Madrid, Spain: Madrid is trying hard to get back on its feet after a 50-year record snowfall that paralyzed large parts of primary Spain over the weekend.

It has brought icy weather that hinders the rollout of the much-needed vaccination on the coronavirus.

Storm Filomena has lost much of its power and is moving eastwards, but weather experts say the freezing warmth will keep on falling into minus figures for several days.

Spain was brought to a halt on Saturday after record-setting snowfalls blanketed much of the country, bringing transportation links grinding to a halt.

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With a sharp drop in warmth on Monday and frost freezing much of the snow and it reached more than 50 centimeters (20 inches) in some urban areas, authorities are calling on people to avoid all but necessary trips out of their homes.

Conscious of the hazards now done by ice, groups of local residents have been lending a hand with clearing the roads to essential facilities.

"We live in this neighborhood. Yesterday, we saw it on social media, and all of our companions agreed to come this time just to clear the way from the bus stop to the psychiatry building of the Gregorio Marañón Hospital," explained psychologist Rocío Sedano. "We want people to be capable of walking safely, that they're capable of walking without ice, and we do our best to make things as safe as possible."

The secretary of a local neighborhood connection, Félix Sánche, said it was great to be able to do something that too to help the health workers.

"They gave a lot to us during check, and they have been going all-out during the pandemic, so the least we should do is to adjust a hand."