Extreme cold temperatures accompanied by gale-force winds and snow wreaked havoc across the Nordic region on Thursday, leaving thousands without power and others braving the cold for hours stuck in their cars along congested highways.
In Germany, heavy rains caused flooding again in regions that had been flooded for the past two weeks.
Freezing temperatures disrupted traffic across the Nordic region with reports of traffic chaos after sections of motorways and main roads were closed. Problems with rail services were also reported.
About 4,000 homes were left without electricity in Arctic Sweden, where temperatures dropped to minus 38 degrees Celsius, according to Swedish public radio. In the southern part of the country, drivers were stuck in their cars or evacuated to a nearby sports complex where they spent the night.
In Denmark, police urged motorists to avoid unnecessary journeys as wind and snow swept across northern and western parts of the country.
In Finnish Lapland, the municipality of Enontekio, which is located near the border with Norway and Sweden, recorded the lowest temperature in the country this winter at minus 42.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday. Meteorologists are forecasting even lower temperatures for the rest of the week.
In Denmark, a ferry sailing between the capitals of Norway and Denmark finally docked in Copenhagen on Thursday after around 900 passengers spent the night on board idling. On Wednesday, weather prevented a Crown Seaways ship from entering the port of Copenhagen.
In Germany, heavy rain continued in regions where there had been constant flooding for the past two weeks. Chancellor Olaf Scholz plans a second visit this week on Thursday to inspect the embankment and sandbag filling plant in the eastern town of Sangerhausen, AA writes.
Photo: Illustration
