Cold snap paralyzes snow-bound Europe

A small boat is covered with snow as it is docked at a harbor in Hel. Bitterly cold weather that has claimed hundreds of lives in eastern Europe swept westwards over the continent on Saturday, blanketing Rome's Colosseum with snow for the first time in three decades and disrupting air and rail traffic. In Poland, several homeless had been overcome by fumes from primitive stoves in poorly-ventilated premises. Others died by drinking too much and falling down, unnoticed, in the snow. (REUTERS)

A pack of stray dogs walk on a frosty road in Cernavoda, 163 km (100 miles) east of Bucharest February 4, 2012. At least 139 people have died across Eastern Europe and Germany since the cold snap began, interrupting what had been an unusually mild European winter. More than 56 trains were cancelled on Friday in Romania due to heavy blizzards. (REUTERS)

A woman holding an umbrella walks on the main street near blocked tramcars in central Sarajevo during snowfall. The Serbian government has so far declared a state of emergency in 19 municipalities in the south and east, where six people have died from cold. Six other people died in Bosnia from the cold, including four who died on the streets of the capital Sarajevo. (REUTERS)

Plastic bottles with the bottom cut are placed over flower bulbs to protect them from the frost near the sea shore in the Black Sea harbour of Constanta, 250 km (155 miles) east of Bucharest. At least 139 people have died across Eastern Europe and Germany since the cold snap began, interrupting what had been an unusually mild European winter. More than 56 trains were cancelled on Friday in Romania due to heavy blizzards. (REUTERS)

A seagulls flies as waves hit the frozen shore in the Black Sea harbour of Constanta, 250 km (155 miles) east of Bucharest February 4, 2012. At least 139 people have died across Eastern Europe and Germany since the cold snap began, interrupting what had been an unusually mild European winter. More than 56 trains were cancelled on Friday in Romania due to heavy blizzards. (REUTERS)

A father and his child look at ice on the frozen shore in the Black Sea harbour of Constanta, 250 km (155 miles) east of Bucharest. At least 139 people have died across Eastern Europe and Germany since the cold snap began, interrupting what had been an unusually mild European winter. More than 56 trains were cancelled on Friday in Romania due to heavy blizzards. (REUTERS)

Children play as waves hit the frozen shore in the Black Sea harbour of Constanta, 250 km (155 miles) east of Bucharest February 4, 2012. At least 139 people have died across Eastern Europe and Germany since the cold snap began, interrupting what had been an unusually mild European winter. More than 56 trains were cancelled on Friday in Romania due to heavy blizzards. (REUTERS)

Ducks sit on the ice in Svisloch river in a park in central Minsk. Unusually cold weather of minus 24 Celsius (-13 degree Fahrenheit) hit the Belarussian capital on Saturday, according local media. (REUTERS)

A general view of central Kiev at temperature around minus 18 degrees Celsius (minus 0.4 degrees Fahrenheit) is seen. 38 more deaths from a cold snap have been registered in Ukraine in the past 24 hours, bringing the overall death toll to 101 across the former Soviet republic, the Emergencies Ministry said on Friday. (REUTERS)

A man walks along the River Moscow in temperatures around minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus 4 Fahrenheit) in Moscow. (REUTERS)

A view of the frozen River Dnieper in an air temperature around minus 18 degree Celsius (minus 4 Fahrenheit) in snow covered central Kiev. (REUTERS)

An old cannon completely covered in ice is pictured on a windy winter day near the harbour of Versoix near Geneva. (REUTERS)

A frozen boat is moored next to an ice covered wall on a windy winter day in the harbour of Versoix near Geneva. (REUTERS)

Belarussian pensioner Roza Savchik, 80, warms her hands as she waits for a mobile shop in the village of Kamenets, some 30 km (19 miles) north of Minsk. (REUTERS)

A dog wrapped up against the cold walks on a snow sprinkled pavement in an air temperature around minus 18 degree Celsius (minus 4 Fahrenheit) in central Kiev. (REUTERS)

Traffic comes to a standstill on the A50 trunk road through Stoke-On-Trent as vehicles struggle in heavy snow and  people abandon their cars causing tailbacks in Stoke-On-Trent, United Kingdom. The met office issued an Amber Warning as snow falls amid below zero temperatures. (GETTY/GALLO)

Alden Bajgoric shovels snow off his car in Sarajevo. The Serbian government has so far declared a state of emergency in 19 municipalities in the south and east, where six people have died from cold.  Six other people died in Bosnia from the cold, including four who died on the streets of the capital Sarajevo. (REUTERS)

Snow covers the branches at Montemario's hill in northern Rome, with St Peter's Basilica in the background. (REUTERS)

Raheem Khan, 35, removes snow from a statue of Santa Claus as he waits for customers during snowfall in the hill-resort town of Murree 60 km (38 miles) north east of capital Islamabad. Khan makes 30 Pakistan Rupees ($0.33) every time bystanders take a photograph with the statue. (REUTERS)

Men try to push a vehicle stuck in snow during heavy snowfall in the hill-resort town of Murree, 60 km (38 miles) north east of capital Islamabad. (REUTERS)

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