[MADRID] Some 70 flights were cancelled in Madrid and tens of thousands of schoolchildren around Spain had to skip class Monday as snow fell heavily over much of the country.

The airport in the Spanish capital was forced to close two of its four runways, leading to the cancellation of 70 flights, a spokeswoman for airport management company Aena told AFP.

The runways were reopened later in the day, she said.

In the central region of Castilla-La Mancha, more than 38,000 students stayed home as schools and bus routes were closed, the regional government said.

In other regions in Spain's northwest and northeast, several thousand schoolchildren also avoided class because of the snow.

Railway lines and roads across the country were also closed due to the weather.

This is just the latest snow-induced disruption to hit Spain.

Last month, authorities deployed 250 soldiers to help rescue thousands of people trapped in their vehicles by heavy snow on a highway near Madrid.

AFP