Parts of central Europe have been devastated by blizzards and freezing rain. A quarter of homes in Slovenia have been left without electricity after heavy snow and ice caused the collapse of power lines.

The Slovenian government said that more than 40 per cent of the country's Alpine forests have been damaged. Defence Minister Roman Jakis said during an emergency government meeting that the country has been hit by "a large-scale natural disaster."

Serbian government minister Aleksandar Antic said that more than 5,000 people have been evacuated in the past few days. Authorities used a military helicopter, tanks and armoured vehicles to reach stranded people.

In the southern Austrian province of Carinthia, bordering Slovenia, up to 3,000 homes were without electricity. Two rail routes connecting Austria with Italy were closed.

In southeastern Poland, some 20 villages were cut off by snow drifts.

road sign
A man walks past ice-covered road signs in Postojna, Slovenia Reuters
trees
People walk past trees covered with ice in Postojna Reuters
ice cars
Parked cars are encased in ice in Postojna Reuters
ice car
A man shovels snow next to an ice-covered car in Postojna Reuters
power cables
Icicles hang from power lines in Postojna Reuters
ice balcony
An ice-covered balcony is pictured in Postojna Reuters
parked cars
In Postojna all cars are white Reuters
sled
A woman and a child drag a sledge past a fallen electricity pole Reuters
ice tree
A worker cuts the top of a ice-covered tree in Postojna Reuters
slovenia statue
Ice covers a World War II monument in Pivka, Slovenia Reuters
snoman
A snowman encased in thick ice is seen in Prestranek, Slovenia Reuters
steam train
An ice-covered steam locomotive is seen in Postojna railway station Reuters
rail power lines
Ice-covered, downed, power lines are seen in Postojna railway station Reuters
ice trees
Two men walk past ice covered trees in Postojna Reuters
roof
A man standing on an ice-covered balcony in Pivka, Slovenia looks around his ice-covered neighbourhood Reuters
soldiers
Members of the Slovenian army remove ice-covered fallen trees in Pivka Reuters
icicles
A man removes icicles from his roof in Prestranek, Slovenia Reuters
forest
A power company worker repairs lines in ice-covered woods in Pivka, Slovenia Reuters
man wheelbarrow
An elderly man loads firewood in a wheelbarrow in Prestranek, Slovenia Reuters
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