Heavy snow has stranded scores of drivers in Serbia as exceptionally bad weather hit central and eastern Europe.<br /><br />Strong winds caused deep snow drifts and forced authorities to close border crossings with neighbouring Croatia. <br /><br />Residents in Serbia’s north were warned not to travel unless absolutely necessary.<br /><br />In Romania, the army was called out to help unblock roads to villages cut off since last week’s blizzards.<br /><br />The snow may have stopped for now but the temperatures are plunging.<br /><br />Thursday night was a freezing minus 22 degrees Celsius in some areas and minus 16 in Bucharest.<br /><br />Torrential rain has been the problem in Italy. The deluge has swollen rivers in Tuscany and over 1,000 people have been caught up in widespread flooding.<br /><br />Having burst its banks up stream, the river Arno’s rising levels are causing concern in Florence.<br /><br />Although normally known for being wet, half of Venice is braced for severe flooding with rain-swollen seasonal high tides rising 140 cm above average sea level.
