Europe hit by heaviest snowfall since 2010

(Patria) - For the first time since 2010, more than 60 percent of Europe is covered by snow, with the worst situation in Eastern Europe, particularly in Moldova and Ukraine.

Heavy snowfall and blizzards across Eastern European countries this week have led to numerous deaths and left thousands of towns and villages without electricity, following the first major cold snap of the season.

In Moldova, four people were reported dead over the weekend, and two bodies were pulled from cars buried in snowdrifts. In Ukraine, ten people lost their lives in severe snowstorms in the regions of Odesa, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, and Kyiv. One thousand five hundred towns and villages were left without electricity, and one snowstorm in Odesa left 2,500 people needing assistance and around 850 vehicles stranded on the roads.

the weather in Munich Germany
03/12/2023, Last time we saw like this snow in Germany Italy France or Spain it was 2011 here
Here Munich Airport in germany pic.twitter.com/KHNtmdenWw

— Du'ale Hanshi (@AnwarH1211) December 3, 2023

The south of Ukraine has been hit the hardest, as cars and buses have skidded off icy roads, and local authorities are battling strong winds to rescue vehicles. Bulgaria has also been severely affected, declaring a state of emergency as winter storms left more than 1,000 villages without electricity.

A severe snowstorm also hit southern Germany, and the Munich region was completely blocked. Munich Airport reopened in the morning hours, but around 560 of the 880 scheduled flights were cancelled.

Authorities have asked residents to stay home for their safety. The winter weather has also disrupted rail traffic, and rail operator Deutsche Bahn stated that the main station in Munich cannot be served. They indicate that passengers should expect delays and cancellations throughout the region, and most buses, trams, and suburban trains are not running in Munich. The football match between Bayern Munich and Union Berlin has been cancelled.