Heavy snowfall in Spain leaves thousands without power

Madrid: Officials in the northeastern Spanish region of Catalonia say some 220,000 people are without power and rail lines and roads have been cut off following a snow storm.

Interior Ministry delegate Joan Boada says the outage, caused by a fault in a high tension cable, is affecting the area around Girona city, north of the regional capital of Barcelona.

The ministry say some 3,000 people were put up in town hall facilities in the region and many others were stranded in their cars as commuter rail lines and roads became impassable.

Dozens of trucks remained backed up at La Junquera border crossing with France while many schools canceled classes for a second day in a row.

Authorities said the situation is improving Tuesday but that below freezing temperatures are still hampering transport.