Ice, ice baby

Below-zero cold chills Europe to a standstill

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Europe has been hit with a record cold snap of subzero temperatures, with boats blanketed by ice on Lake Geneva and thousands of Balkan villagers cut off from the outside world.

A week of bitter cold has caused traffic chaos throughout Europe, blocking roads, shutting down airports, closing schools and trapping 70,000 in remote mountain towns in Serbia. Authorities have had no contact for three days with about 120 people in the village of Zijemlja.

Carmel Melouney