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| Snow falling on leaders: 'exceptional' winter weather delays VIP arrivals to Davos | Snow falling on leaders: 'exceptional' winter weather delays VIP arrivals to Davos |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Heaviest snowfall for 20 years disrupts traffic, slips up business chiefs and threatens to block the landing of VIP helicopters | Heaviest snowfall for 20 years disrupts traffic, slips up business chiefs and threatens to block the landing of VIP helicopters |
| Guardian staff and agencies | Guardian staff and agencies |
| Tue 23 Jan 2018 00.51 GMT | Tue 23 Jan 2018 00.51 GMT |
| Last modified on Tue 23 Jan 2018 10.13 GMT | |
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| Heavy snowfall has hampered the arrival of world leaders, business executives and charity bosses at this week’s World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. | Heavy snowfall has hampered the arrival of world leaders, business executives and charity bosses at this week’s World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. |
| The exclusive ski resort was snow-bound on Monday after the heaviest precipitation in two decades. | The exclusive ski resort was snow-bound on Monday after the heaviest precipitation in two decades. |
| “In the last six days, 159 centimetres (63 inches) of snow fell on Davos (...) a fall that we observe only every 20 years,” Switzerland’s Institute for the Study of Snow and Avalanches said in an evening bulletin. | “In the last six days, 159 centimetres (63 inches) of snow fell on Davos (...) a fall that we observe only every 20 years,” Switzerland’s Institute for the Study of Snow and Avalanches said in an evening bulletin. |
| “From Monday evening until the end of the snow overnight, an additional 20 to 40 cm will be added,” the Institute said, evoking an “exceptional” situation. | “From Monday evening until the end of the snow overnight, an additional 20 to 40 cm will be added,” the Institute said, evoking an “exceptional” situation. |
| Heavy snow has been blanketing Davos for days. After a brief lull on Monday, large flakes began to fall in the early afternoon, disrupting traffic and threatening to block the landing of VIP helicopters. | Heavy snow has been blanketing Davos for days. After a brief lull on Monday, large flakes began to fall in the early afternoon, disrupting traffic and threatening to block the landing of VIP helicopters. |
| An economist registered at the forum told AFP it took two hours to drive the last 12km (7 miles) approaching the resort. | An economist registered at the forum told AFP it took two hours to drive the last 12km (7 miles) approaching the resort. |
| Trains were more crowded with official Davos delegates, who usually take limousines and special shuttle vehicles to the week-long forum. | Trains were more crowded with official Davos delegates, who usually take limousines and special shuttle vehicles to the week-long forum. |
| In the centre of Davos, participants preferred to walk rather than take the shuttles, which were slowed down by roads resembling skating rinks. | In the centre of Davos, participants preferred to walk rather than take the shuttles, which were slowed down by roads resembling skating rinks. |
| Businessmen slipped over on icy patches as snow ploughs roamed the streets, with the snow returning as fast as the machines could clear it. | Businessmen slipped over on icy patches as snow ploughs roamed the streets, with the snow returning as fast as the machines could clear it. |
| The streets are not salted in Davos, to protect the environment. | The streets are not salted in Davos, to protect the environment. |
| On Sunday, the snowfall had already disrupted the road traffic and temporarily cut the railway line leading to the ski resort. | On Sunday, the snowfall had already disrupted the road traffic and temporarily cut the railway line leading to the ski resort. |
| With the weather forecast to clear on Tuesday, organisers are hoping transport will start to operate more smoothly and will be running without a hitch by the time US President Donald Trump arrives on Friday to give the closing address. | With the weather forecast to clear on Tuesday, organisers are hoping transport will start to operate more smoothly and will be running without a hitch by the time US President Donald Trump arrives on Friday to give the closing address. |
| However, so much snow has built up on the slopes surrounding Davos that avalanches remain a danger. | However, so much snow has built up on the slopes surrounding Davos that avalanches remain a danger. |
| A bulletin from the SLF Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research in Davos showed a broad band of the mountainous country under Level 5 avalanche danger, the highest on a 1-5 scale. | A bulletin from the SLF Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research in Davos showed a broad band of the mountainous country under Level 5 avalanche danger, the highest on a 1-5 scale. |
| Davos is a Swiss ski resort now more famous for hosting the annual four-day conference for the World Economic Forum. For participants it is a festival of networking. Getting an invitation is a sign you have made it – and the elaborate system of badges reveals your place in the Davos hierarchy. | Davos is a Swiss ski resort now more famous for hosting the annual four-day conference for the World Economic Forum. For participants it is a festival of networking. Getting an invitation is a sign you have made it – and the elaborate system of badges reveals your place in the Davos hierarchy. |
| For critics, “Davos man” is shorthand for the globe-trotting elite, disconnected from their home countries after spending too much time in the club-class lounge. Others just wonder if it is all a big waste of time.Who is there? | For critics, “Davos man” is shorthand for the globe-trotting elite, disconnected from their home countries after spending too much time in the club-class lounge. Others just wonder if it is all a big waste of time.Who is there? |
| More than 2,500 people – business leaders, politicians such as Donald Trump, diplomats and the odd celebrity, such as Cate Blanchett – will fly in for the 48th annual Davos meeting. As usual most delegates are men: just 17% of are women. Although the forum boasts delegates from more than 100 countries, most hail from western Europe, followed by the US. The smallest number of delegates come from Latin America and Africa. | More than 2,500 people – business leaders, politicians such as Donald Trump, diplomats and the odd celebrity, such as Cate Blanchett – will fly in for the 48th annual Davos meeting. As usual most delegates are men: just 17% of are women. Although the forum boasts delegates from more than 100 countries, most hail from western Europe, followed by the US. The smallest number of delegates come from Latin America and Africa. |
| “Fresh snow and snow drift accumulations are prone to triggering (avalanches). Until late in the night a large number of natural avalanches are to be expected,” it said. | “Fresh snow and snow drift accumulations are prone to triggering (avalanches). Until late in the night a large number of natural avalanches are to be expected,” it said. |
| Local officials said on Monday they had evacuated two dozen residents from vulnerable areas while crews used explosives to reduce dangerous build-ups on some slopes above the town. | Local officials said on Monday they had evacuated two dozen residents from vulnerable areas while crews used explosives to reduce dangerous build-ups on some slopes above the town. |
| “When Trump comes on Friday it is far from obvious whether he will be able to use a fleet of large helicopters to land in Davos,” said a source close to the organising committee. “Large helicopters increase the risk of avalanches.” | “When Trump comes on Friday it is far from obvious whether he will be able to use a fleet of large helicopters to land in Davos,” said a source close to the organising committee. “Large helicopters increase the risk of avalanches.” |
| Meanwhile, heavy snowfall in France has led to the evacuation of more than 100 chalets in one of France’s best known ski resorts near Mont Blanc because of avalanche risks. | Meanwhile, heavy snowfall in France has led to the evacuation of more than 100 chalets in one of France’s best known ski resorts near Mont Blanc because of avalanche risks. |
| “The situation is extraordinary: we’ve had the equivalent of five months of precipitation in just 45 days,” the mayor of the Chamonix resort, Eric Fournier, told AFP, adding that such snowfall “occurs once every fifteen years”. | “The situation is extraordinary: we’ve had the equivalent of five months of precipitation in just 45 days,” the mayor of the Chamonix resort, Eric Fournier, told AFP, adding that such snowfall “occurs once every fifteen years”. |
| Over 1,000 residents had been contacted by midday, Fournier said: “We’re asking them to stay inside and to close up shutters on the sides exposed” to potential avalanche flows. | Over 1,000 residents had been contacted by midday, Fournier said: “We’re asking them to stay inside and to close up shutters on the sides exposed” to potential avalanche flows. |
| Agence France-Presse and Reuters contributed to this report | Agence France-Presse and Reuters contributed to this report |
| Davos | Davos |
| Switzerland | Switzerland |
| Snow | Snow |
| Europe | Europe |
| news | news |
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