Severe winter storms kill six across Europe, disrupt travel and daily life

Severe winter weather sweeping across parts of Europe left at least six people dead, as snow, ice and freezing temperatures disrupted transport and daily life across the continent.

According to a Guardian report, in France, authorities in the south-western Landes region said three people were killed and 15 injured in road accidents on Tuesday.

Two more people died in separate accidents in the Paris region. One driver died in hospital late on Monday after their vehicle veered into the Marne River, while another was killed in a collision with a heavy goods vehicle in eastern Paris, added the report.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, a woman died in the capital Sarajevo on Monday after a snow-laden tree branch fell on her head.

Travel disruption intensified as snow blanketed major cities. P

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Paris awoke on Tuesday to rooftops and landmarks covered in snow, while aviation authorities announced widespread flight cancellations.

Around 40% of flights at Roissy–Charles de Gaulle airport and 25% at Orly were expected to be cancelled early on Wednesday to allow crews to clear runways and de-ice aircraft, reported The Guardian.

In the Netherlands, hundreds of flights were cancelled at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport as crews worked to deal with icy conditions.

Rail travel was also severely affected after domestic train services were suspended early on Tuesday due to an IT outage, compounding weather-related disruption. Eurostar services between Amsterdam and Paris were either cancelled or delayed.

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Freezing temperatures have gripped much of Europe.

In southern and eastern Germany, temperatures dropped below -10C (14F) early on Tuesday, with meteorologists warning of a storm later this week that could bring heavy snowfall to northern and eastern regions.

Britain also faced severe cold, with overnight temperatures plunging to -12.5C. Snow disrupted road, rail and air travel, and forced the closure of hundreds of schools across northern parts of the country.

In Italy, temperatures in northern lowland areas fell below freezing, with snow forecast in medium- and low-altitude areas of Emilia-Romagna, Marche and Tuscany. Central and southern regions experienced heavy rain driven by mild winds. In Rome, persistent rainfall caused the Tiber River to swell, dampening Pope Leo’s Epiphany blessing in St Peter’s Square, where only a few thousand people gathered under umbrellas.

Rome’s mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, issued an order on Tuesday restricting access to parks and other areas at risk of falling trees and flooding. Two large pine trees have fallen in recent days, one near the Colosseum on Via dei Fori Imperiali and another on Via Appia Nuova.

Across the Balkans, heavy snow and rain have swollen rivers, disrupted traffic, and interrupted power and water supplies. In western Serbia, some local authorities introduced emergency measures, warning drivers to exercise caution as many travel ahead of Orthodox Christmas on Wednesday and the upcoming weekend.

Along the Adriatic coast, heavy winds and rough seas battered parts of Croatia and Montenegro, adding to the widespread impact of the severe weather system.

With inputs from agencies