Oslo's Primary Airport Shuts Down, Unleashing Widespread Transportation Turmoil Amidst Heavy Snowfall

Oslo, Jan 18 (IANS) Oslo's main airport remain closed with other means of transport lso severely disrupted amid heavy snowfall in Norway's capital region.

All departures from Oslo Airport were halted as of 1 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon and landings eventually ceased as well, Xinhua news agency quoted Norway's national broadcaster NRK reported as saying.

The airport was expected to remain closed for several hours, as the snowfall was too intense for ground lights to be visible, it quoted Cathrine Framholt, communications manager at the airport's operator Avinor, as saying.

The Norwegian Meteorological Institute has warned of "very heavy snow and strong wind" in the eastern coastal regions including Oslo, saying the extreme weather is expected to persist until late Wednesday.

The country's railway operator Bane Nor announced that all train services in eastern Norway are canceled until further notice.

Ruter, Oslo's public transport operator, reported significant delays and cancellations affecting buses, trams, subways and ferries.