Gangneung: Gangneung Olympic Park was closed to visitors on Wednesday as high winds caused chaos at the Pyeongchang Winter Games, also forcing ski and biathlon races to be postponed.
Spectators were urged to stay indoors, shops were shuttered and visitors were turned away from the public area in Gangneung surrounding four ice sports arenas.
“Due to high winds in the Gangneung area, all activities in the common domain of the Gangneung Olympic Park have been temporarily been suspended to ensure the safety of all personnel,” said a statement from Games organisers.
“Spectators are being encouraged to stay indoors and general admission to the park has been suspended for the remainder of the day.”
Spectators with tickets were still able to attend sports events but Olympic volunteers with megaphones shouted instructions for general visitors to leave the area, directing people to bus and train transportation.
Temporary structures housing media were also closed, with journalists sent to work in the stadium tribunes instead.
Events scheduled at the Olympic Park for Wednesday included the women’s ice-hockey match between the unified Korean team and Japan as well as men’s ice hockey, curling, and speedskating.
Earlier, the women’s slalom skiing and women’s 15-km individual biathlon were postponed to later in the week, and the Nordic skiing competition was also disrupted because of the wind.
Not one of the skiing events has gone ahead on schedule so far, with winds of up to 25 metres per second making it difficult even to stand in some mountain areas.
