Nordic countries under grip of severe cold wave, thousands left with no electricity 

Several Nordic countries were battered with snow and icy winds as they braved one of their coldest temperatures for the second consecutive day.

Northern Sweden saw its temperatures plummet to as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius, leaving around 4,000 residents without electricity. Whereas in the southern part, many motorists found themselves stuck in their cars along clogged highways.

In neighboring Denmark, police urged motorists to avoid unnecessary trips as wind and snow battered the northern and western parts of the country. However, southern Denmark was battling flooding caused by heavy rain, reports AP news agency.

Some parts of Finland recorded the country’s lowest temperature on Thursday at minus 42.5 degrees Celcius, with meteorologists forecasting even colder temperatures for the rest of the week.

Transportation remained disrupted throughout the region, including Norway where a major highway in the south was closed and ferry lines suspended operations, reports German broadcaster Deutsche Welle.

Swedish authorities say that a cold spell could hamper train operations in the Arctic north.

Police across most of Denmark urged motorists on Wednesday to avoid unnecessary trips as wind and snow battered the northern and western parts of the country. However, southern Denmark was battling flooding caused by heavy rain.

Meanwhile, Germany, France, and the Netherlands have been battered with persistent floods for the past two weeks due to incessant rains. One death was reported in France.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Thursday said that he plans to make his second visit this week to inspect a dike and a sandbag-filling facility in the eastern town of Sangerhausen.

Several towns in northern France were left inundated on Thursday, as the government evacuated hundreds of people in recent days. The area was also hit by flooding in November and December.

The government in low-lying Netherlands, which also faced extremely high water levels in rivers and lakes, said it would send pumps to France to help it tackle widespread flooding, reports DW.

“It has rained a lot recently, which means that the water in France can no longer be drained properly. In many places, rivers have already burst their banks. That is why it is important to help each other get rid of the water as quickly as possible,” Infrastructure and Water Minister Mark Harbers said in a statement.

(With inputs from agencies)