French regions issue orange alert on snow, ice

PARIS, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- Nine regions of France were placed on orange alert due to snow and ice following "the first snow episode of the season," the country's weather agency Meteo France said Friday.

Meteorologists called for high vigilance in the central departments of Creuse, Puy-de-Dome, Correze, Cantal and Haute-Loire, as well as in the southwestern departments of Haute-Garonne, Hautes-Pyrenees, Ariege and Var.

Noting the snowfall requires "particular vigilance," Meteo France decided to maintain the orange alert in these areas till Sunday morning based on the assessment of risks of snow and ice.

The weather agency report showed freezing temperatures affected the entire country with the temperature in many areas dipping below 5 degrees Celsius. Enditem