(Bloomberg) — A heavy snowstorm that blanketed Greece triggered power outages in the capital Athens and its suburbs and prompted the nation’s government to order businesses and public services shut down for a second day on Wednesday.
Schools and private companies, apart from supermarkets and pharmacies, will remain closed in Athens, Crete and another two regions, Climate Change and Civil Protection Minister Christos Stylianides said on Tuesday.
The heavy snow snarled traffic and stranded drivers, while flights were canceled at Athens International Airport.
So far, 3,500 people have been rescued from 1,700 vehicles that were stranded for as long as 24 hours on a major highway around the Greek capital, Stylianides said.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis asked the operator of the highway to pay 2,000 euros ($2,257) a vehicle in compensation. Attiki Odos SA agreed to make the payment.
Flights are gradually being reinstated Tuesday, Greek carrier Aegean Airlines SA said.
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