Germany asks residents to stay indoor as deadly winter season takes two lives

Following a sudden outbreak of winter weather that left two people dead on dangerous roads, authorities in western Germany on Tuesday advised locals to stay indoors and issued a warning of life-threatening danger.

Winter arrived so quickly that in many parts of Germany, there were multiple accidents and people stuck in their cars because of the slick roads and falling branches brought on by the snowfall.

On Monday night, there was an accident on a snowy road in the Baden-Wuerttemberg neighborhood that claimed the life of a 71-year-old man. The driver lost control of the car and entered the oncoming lane, according to Aalen police.

A 54-year-old driver lost his life in another black ice collision close to Denzerheide in Rhineland-Palatinate.

In Rheingau-Taunus district in the west of Hesse, 100 people were evacuated from their vehicles near Eltville-Martinsthal, while 70 people were trapped on the road near Linienbad.

“My urgent appeal: Be sure to stay at home on Tuesday. Please do not go for walks in the forest either: there is an acute danger to life from broken branches and falling trees,” said the district’s administrator in a statement.

The German Meteorological Service (DWD) forecasts snow and sleet again in many federal states today, adding that the weather will persist in the coming days.

(with inputs from agencies)