Tens of thousands of homes were left without electricity due to heavy snow storms in the Balkan region. The storms also caused severe traffic disruptions, with motorways closed and rail services suspended, Euronews reports.
Tens of thousands of homes in Bosnia and Herzegovina were left without electricity on Tuesday after heavy snowfall and winds hit the Balkan region.
Roads were blocked and traffic was severely hampered as access to some towns and villages was completely blocked.
Authorities in Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia banned the movement of heavy vehicles and imposed traffic restrictions on all affected roads. The storms affected the whole of Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro and northern Macedonia.
Across the Balkan peninsula, authorities issued warnings for travellers as snow drifts led to the closure of major highways. Officials also advised citizens to stay at home and avoid travelling if possible.
Local media reported that more than 150,000 homes in Bosnia were left without electricity as the storm damaged power lines, causing them to break down. Many of these homes reportedly lost heating and water as a result of the accident.
The northwestern and western parts of Bosnia were the hardest hit by the storm. Residents were even left without clean drinking water, and schools in these regions are closed for the second day in a row.
Regional television network N1 reported that dozens of vehicles were stuck in snow in western Bosnia for 10 hours before they were able to continue their journey.
The northwestern Bosnian town of Drvar was also completely cut off from the outside world, local authorities said. Snow had accumulated on roads and highways, making it impossible to use cars and railway transport. Authorities in Drvar have declared a state of emergency as they continue to deal with the effects of the snowfall.
And in Slovenia, the search for an injured Hungarian tourist in the Alps, north of the capital Ljubljana, was suspended due to high winds.
However, rescuers were able to reach his companion on Monday and transported her to hospital for examination and treatment.
