Hamburg Traffic chaos and flight delays were reported throughout Europe Saturday as the first cold front of the winter continued to sweep across the continent, dpa reported. In Paris air traffic at the city's Charles de Gaulle airport was badly affected. By midday 23 flights had been cancelled, airport authorities said. Flights that continued to operate were running about 50 minutes late because of the poor weather. The Eiffel Tower was also closed to visitors. Passengers at Brussels airport were also being warned to expect delays. Belgian media were reporting traffic chaos on the country's icy roads, although the situation was said to be slowly returning to normal by midday on Saturday. Parts of eastern Belgium were left without electricity after heavy snowfall overnight. Long tailbacks in the Netherlands, particularly in the east of the country, were also reported to be clearing by Saturday morning. Up to 10,000 people were still without electricity however after power lines took a battering from heavy snow and high winds overnight. Traffic gridlock was also reported in parts of Austria after up to 40 centimetres of snow fell in overnight blizzards.
