The small white blanket covering the highest peaks of Madeira, this Friday, is far from that recorded exactly 14 years ago, which required an unprecedented rescue operation in the Region.
It was on March 13th, and therefore reported on the 14th of that month, that a snowstorm left 200 people ‘stranded’ in the Pico do Areeiro and Poiso area. According to what DIÁRIO reported 14 years ago, around 200 people were stranded. It was necessary to use all-terrain vehicles to get people out of the area. The snow meant that many cars were unable to drive, skidding and causing some accidents.
“We went up at around five o’clock and everything was normal, but at six o’clock, suddenly, a lot of snow fell and it was no longer possible to drive,” explained Marco Sá, one of the Madeirans who spent almost four hours inside the car waiting for help.
The first call for help came at around 7 pm, and it was necessary to clear the snow and mobilize several teams to carry out the rescue.