Rare and Beautiful Snow Blankets the Mediterranean Coast

The lack of regular snowstorms means even 3 inches of snow threw everyday life into a tailspin in Greek capital and elsewhere. The snow caused disastrous conditions on highways and roads; the army and the fire department were tasked Monday with rescuing hundreds of drivers in Athens, some of whom had been stuck in their cars for hours. As of Tuesday morning, 1,200 cars were still stuck on the main road of the city, authorities said. (Sounds familiar.)

“The situation is hopeless,” Spiros Kandaras, who was in his car for a full 24 hours, told Reuters. “They should be ashamed of this mess.”

Most public transportation in Athens was also out of commission thanks to the storm. The power was out for hours, while some passengers on a train were “lightly injured” after a weather-related accident.