At least six people have died as severe winter weather, marked by heavy snowfall, ice and freezing temperatures, continues to disrupt daily life across several parts of Europe, authorities said.
In south-west France, officials in the Landes region confirmed that three people were killed and at least 15 injured in multiple road accidents on Tuesday due to icy conditions. Two more fatalities were reported in separate traffic accidents in the Paris region as snow blanketed roads and reduced visibility.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, a woman died in the capital Sarajevo on Monday after a snow-laden tree branch fell on her head during heavy snowfall.
Travel chaos across France and Netherlands
Paris woke up to snow-covered rooftops and landmarks, prompting authorities to shut six airports across northern and western France. Several domestic and international flights were cancelled or delayed as runway clearing operations continued.
In the Netherlands, winter conditions combined with a technical failure caused widespread disruption. Hundreds of flights were cancelled at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, while rail services across the country were suspended early Tuesday due to an IT outage, compounding weather-related travel chaos. Eurostar services between Amsterdam and Paris were either cancelled or severely delayed.
Freezing temperatures across Europe
Large parts of Germany recorded temperatures plunging below minus 10 degrees Celsius, with meteorologists warning of an incoming storm expected to bring further heavy snowfall later this week.
In the United Kingdom, temperatures dropped to minus 12.5 degrees Celsius overnight, leading to disruptions in road, rail and air travel. Hundreds of schools across northern regions were forced to close due to snow and ice.
Italy battles snow and floods
Northern Italy also felt the impact of the cold snap, with lowland areas experiencing sub-zero temperatures and snowfall forecast in regions such as Emilia-Romagna, Marche and Tuscany. In cities like Bologna, snow covered streets and public squares.
Meanwhile, central and southern Italy faced heavy rain and strong winds. In Rome, continuous rainfall caused the Tiber River to swell, prompting Mayor Roberto Gualtieri to restrict access to parks and high-risk areas due to flooding and falling trees. Recent storms have already uprooted large pine trees near major landmarks.
Balkans and Adriatic hit hard
Heavy snow and rain have swept across Balkan countries, swelling rivers and disrupting electricity and water supplies. In Serbia, emergency measures were introduced in some western regions as authorities urged caution ahead of increased travel for Orthodox Christmas.
Along the Adriatic coast, strong winds and stormy seas battered parts of Croatia and Montenegro, adding to the region-wide weather emergency.