The whole of Europe is experiencing record low temperatures. Snow and icy conditions are causing chaos. The hardest hit has been eastern Europe, where there have been hundreds of cold-related deaths.
Cold spell in Europe
Germany
Tugboats help a container ship get through the icy waters of the Elbe River in Hamburg. The extreme cold has made parts of the river impassable.
Cold spell in Europe
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic has experienced massive snowfall over the last few days. People had to dig out their cars from underneath the snow while in the east of the country, rail services were disrupted. In some areas temperatures dropped to minus 40 degrees Celsius (minus 40 Fahrenheit).
Cold spell in Europe
Bosnia
Some villages in Bosnia have been cut off from the rest of the country. Heavy snowfall made the streets around the town of Sokolac impassable. Food aid has to be delivered to the residents by helicopter.
Cold spell in Europe
Emergency shelters
It's the homeless in particular who are in danger when temperatures drop. In many countries aid organizations have set up soup kitchens and are trying to get the homeless off the streets and into emergency shelters.
Cold spell in Europe
Poland
In Poland, temperatures dropped to minus 30 degrees Celsius. Dozens have died from the cold. Due to massive snowfall in recent weeks, hundreds of small villages were cut off from the rest of the country. The military was called in to help get the snow off the roads.
Cold spell in Europe
Warsaw
In the Polish capital, Warsaw, authorities have set up coal-fired stoves for passers-by and the homeless so that they can escape the freezing cold for at least a few minutes.
Cold spell in Europe
Baltic states
In the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, authorities have called on parents not to send their children to school. Temperatures are expected to drop to minus 30 Celsius. But in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, this man and his dog haven't let the cold weather deter them from their daily walk.
Cold spell in Europe
Ukraine
In Ukraine hundreds of deaths have been blamed on the cold weather. Many more have been hospitalized, especially the homeless. The Red Cross has set up heated shelters and provided hot drinks and food for the homeless.
Cold spell in Europe
Romania
In Romania, traffic came to a standstill because of the cold and the snow. At the Bucharest airport, numerous planes had to remain grounded.
Cold spell in Europe
Stuck in traffic
Across Europe, people got stuck in their cars when they were surprised by sudden snowfall. On the border between France and Germany, hundreds of people spent the night in their cars. Emergency forces handed out blankets and hot drinks to ward off the cold.
Cold spell in Europe
Bulgaria
It's been decades since Bulgaria experienced such severe winter weather. The government has issued the second highest alarm level - most schools in the country remain closed. Here, Orthodox monks are seen walking through thick snow in the capital, Sofia.
Cold spell in Europe
Italy
Even Europe's south hasn't been spared as Spain, Italy and Greece are also in the grip of the cold. St. Peter's dome in the Vatican was covered with a layer of snow while hundreds of soldiers were called in to help the residents of Rome clear the snow from the streets and sidewalks. It's the most snow Rome has seen in 27 years.
