Swedish snow chaos leaves 1,000 vehicles trapped on key road

In a dramatic turn of events, over 1,000 vehicles found themselves stranded on the main E22 road in the Skane area of southern Sweden due to heavy snowfall. The Swedish armed forces stepped in to provide essential supplies, delivering food and water to those trapped for more than 24 hours. Rescue teams worked tirelessly to evacuate many of the stranded individuals, advising them to return to their vehicles later.

This snow-related travel chaos unfolded amid a harsh winter spell gripping the Nordic countries. Extreme cold weather has affected Sweden, Finland, and Norway, while snowstorms in Denmark have left motorists trapped on a motorway near Aarhus since Wednesday. The Kvikkjokk-Arrenjarka weather station in northern Sweden reported its coldest night in 25 years, with temperatures plummeting to -43.6°C.

The disruption on the E22 began around 09:00 local time on Wednesday, rendering the road impassable between Horby and Kristianstad. Snow plows arrived on Wednesday evening, and emergency services, alongside the police, worked throughout the night to free hundreds of trapped vehicles, some carrying individuals with medical issues like diabetes.

Despite the challenges, soldiers were deployed to distribute food and water to those marooned. Police spokesperson Evelina Olsson described the situation as “total chaos,” highlighting the difficulty of keeping the road clear due to heavy and persistent snowfall. By Thursday morning, many vehicles had been cleared, although lorries remained stuck. Conditions were gradually improving, but authorities cautioned that the road would not be fully cleared until at least 08:00 on Friday.

The snow-induced chaos prompted cancellations of buses and trains in the Skane region on Thursday morning, with authorities urging people to refrain from non-essential travel as they worked to manage the aftermath of the severe weather conditions.