The heaviest snow since 1979 brought much of the Netherlands to a standstill, with thousands of passengers stranded overnight at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, authorities said Thursday. Schiphol instructed all passengers able to return to homes in the Netherlands to do so, in an indication that delays would continue into Thursday. Train services in central and western parts of the country were affected on some routes Thursday morning. Most buses were running, although services around Amsterdam were hit. The snow moved southwards across the country, ceasing to fall overnight in some areas in the north, although further light falls were predicted for Thursday. Bus and tram services were severely disrupted, particularly in the three northern provinces, Friesland, Grongingen and Drenthe, with the effects spilling over into Thursday. There were long tailbacks on many motorways. Around 800 accidents, most of them not serious, were reported. In Heeg in Friesland, the highest falls were reported with the snow lying half a meter deep in some places. Schools and public services were closed in some areas.
