Serbians stuck on snowbound road in Hungary

BELGRADE Rescue teams are struggling to reach passengers who have been stuck on a snowbound road in Hungary for 20 hours. Numerous Serbian citizens are among the snowed in passengers on the highway near the Hungarian town of Gyor. Serbians stuck on snowbound road in Hungary Fire and rescue teams and about a dozen volunteers finally started clearing the snow on Friday morning. The line of vehicles stretches up for about four kilometers. The problems started on Thursday evening when heavy snowfall and strong wind caused snowdrifts and left about 100 buses and cars snowbound on the highway. Many of the snowbound busses were traveling from Vienna to Belgrade. Strong wind and low temperatures are making it hard for the rescue teams to get to around 1,000 passengers. Most of the vehicles have in the meantime run out of gas. At least two babies are among the passengers. B92 has learned from the Serbian Embassy in Budapest that an eight-month-old Serbian baby has been evacuated and that another Serbian child is being evacuated by a helicopter. However, the strong wind is making the rescue operation difficult. Serbian Consul Milan Vukosavljevic has urged all passengers with health problems, mothers with babies and small children to call the Embassy that will intervene and inform the rescue teams so they could have priority in the rescue operation. He added that some passengers had found shelter in nearby houses and schools. Vojvodina junior track and field team is also among the passengers in one of the snowbound buses. Coach Goran Obradovic has said that around 50 children, coaches and drivers were alright, that they had enough food and water and that the bus had enough gas. The large portion of the M1 highway near Gyor has been closed. The Serbian consul told B92 that there were problems in other parts of Hungary as well but that the situation was the most dramatic near Gyor. “The Hungarian minister has assured us that everything possible is being done,” he stressed. Vukosavljevic said that it was not possible how many Serbians were snowbound on the highway or how many vehicles were there. He noted that the Serbian Embassy was doing everything in its power to help/ The consul advised the Serbian citizens to remain calm and patient and wait for the rescue teams. He said he expected all passengers to be evacuated by the end of the day and advised citizens not to travel through Hungary until the situation has normalized. According to Hungarian authorities, the roads have not been cleared properly because of a national holiday. 8,000 people in Hungary have been evacuated, more than 100,000 households do not have electricity and 10,000 people are out of water due to heavy snowfall. 19 Hungarians have been injured and the state of emergency has been introduced in the country. (Facebook) B92 RTS Tanjug

Serbians stuck on snowbound road in Hungary

Fire and rescue teams and about a dozen volunteers finally started clearing the snow on Friday morning.

The line of vehicles stretches up for about four kilometers.

The problems started on Thursday evening when heavy snowfall and strong wind caused snowdrifts and left about 100 buses and cars snowbound on the highway.

Many of the snowbound busses were traveling from Vienna to Belgrade.

Strong wind and low temperatures are making it hard for the rescue teams to get to around 1,000 passengers. Most of the vehicles have in the meantime run out of gas.

At least two babies are among the passengers.

B92 has learned from the Serbian Embassy in Budapest that an eight-month-old Serbian baby has been evacuated and that another Serbian child is being evacuated by a helicopter. However, the strong wind is making the rescue operation difficult.

Serbian Consul Milan Vukosavljević has urged all passengers with health problems, mothers with babies and small children to call the Embassy that will intervene and inform the rescue teams so they could have priority in the rescue operation.

He added that some passengers had found shelter in nearby houses and schools.

Vojvodina junior track and field team is also among the passengers in one of the snowbound buses.

Coach Goran Obradović has said that around 50 children, coaches and drivers were alright, that they had enough food and water and that the bus had enough gas.

The large portion of the M1 highway near Gyor has been closed.

The Serbian consul told B92 that there were problems in other parts of Hungary as well but that the situation was the most dramatic near Gyor.

“The Hungarian minister has assured us that everything possible is being done,” he stressed.

Vukosavljević said that it was not possible how many Serbians were snowbound on the highway or how many vehicles were there.

He noted that the Serbian Embassy was doing everything in its power to help/

The consul advised the Serbian citizens to remain calm and patient and wait for the rescue teams.

He said he expected all passengers to be evacuated by the end of the day and advised citizens not to travel through Hungary until the situation has normalized.

According to Hungarian authorities, the roads have not been cleared properly because of a national holiday.

8,000 people in Hungary have been evacuated, more than 100,000 households do not have electricity and 10,000 people are out of water due to heavy snowfall.

19 Hungarians have been injured and the state of emergency has been introduced in the country.