Bad weather batters Europe

[jakeXT]

Parts of southern Austria were left buried in unusually heavy snowfall yesterday, prompting the Austrian army to intervene and help with clearing efforts.

One of the heaviest hit places was the town of Koetschach in Carinthia near the Ploecken Pass on the border with Italy, where army units had to be deployed in order to help clear snow from roads and buildings.

Parts of southern Austria had a month's worth of snowfall in the last three days, causing large snow drifts, which have seriously disrupted traffic and communication links.

The situation was made worse by the ice-cold drizzle which soaked the snow, making it much heavier than usual and more difficult to clear.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140203/world/southern-austria-hit-by-unusually-heavy-snowfall.505228


Tens of thousands were without electricity in Slovenia, Austria and Croatia on Sunday after icy rain and sleet caused major disruptions. Hundreds of motorists were evacuated overnight from their vehicles in Serbia, where massive snow drifts have caused widespread travel chaos.

Authorities in Slovenia several roads have been blocked and schools have been advised to close on Monday if necessary. In neighboring Croatia, freezing rain also forced road closure and shut down some railway traffic.

Serbian government minister Aleksandar Antic said that altogether more than 5,000 people have been evacuated in the past several days when authorities used a military helicopter, tanks and armored vehicles to reach stranded people. Several dozen cars remain stuck, he said.

In the southern Austrian province of Carinthia bordering Slovenia, up to 3,000 homes were without electricity for hours following freezing rain on Sunday, the Austria Press Agency reported.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/bad-weather-causing-travel-chaos-balkans-22333310