PRAGUE - Almost 100 cars were involved in two massive pileups in heavy snowstorms on a major highway east of the Czech capital Wednesday, although passengers escaped serious injury.

Police said some 40 cars crashed before midday some 300 kilometres (186 miles) east of Prague. Two people escaped with light injuries.

Police spokeswoman Marie Strbakova said the road that connects the Czech capital with the eastern part of the country and Slovakia was expected to be blocked till late Wednesday.

TV footage showed a long line of trucks waiting in heavy snow for the road to be cleared.

In another crash, dozens of vehicles, including a bus, collided some 100 kilometres (60 miles) southeast of the capital, said police spokeswoman Dana Cirtkova. Four bus passengers and a female driver were injured, and the highway will be blocked for some time.

Rescue workers distributed hot tea and blankets to people who had to wait in their cars for several hours.

Six train tracks and a number of roads were also closed Wednesday, including the border crossing to Poland in Nachod, in the country's north.

Meteorologists said snowstorms are expected to continue across the country Wednesday.