EUROPE DISRUPTED BY BITTER WEATHER

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5296, 8 January 1947, Page 5

EUROPE DISRUPTED BY BITTER WEATHER

(Press Assn.-

COLDEST FOR FIVE YEARS HEAVY TOLL EXPECTED IN OCCUPIED ZONES

-Rec. 9.80 p.m.)

LONDON, Jaii* 7* The coldest day in Europe lar five years, in areas as far rpart as the south of Englaitdi end Czechoslovakia, has coincided with the fuel shortage, made worse by the freezing of European waterways. Germany has been particularly affected. 7n the Ameriean zone it is not expeeted to pass through the winter without many Germans freezing to death. Coal reserves in the zone are said to be at the lowest level. Weather h2s held up many coal trains from the Ruhr, and over 30,000 tons of coal ara immo'bilised. In the British zone all entertainmcnts- are closed idown. In norfchem Fiance, barges taking coal to Paris are iee-bound in the canals, apd unless rail transport can be speeded up, many factories will have to close down. London's Biggest Snowfall Temperatores are rising in many parts of Britain to-day after yesterday's snow, although in the southwestern areas the outlook is still very cold. Yesterday's snov/fall was' the heaviest iof the winter so far. London and South of England hadt the year's first big sno-wfall and the biggest cut on record in electric . power. Harley Street specialists were without heat and light for 2f hours. Central London traffic lights went out during the rusli hour and the lights failed at police stationsOfficers workirig by candle light sent out men to organise traffic control. The snow froze on the roads as. quickly as it fell. Farmers are digging for hjuindreds of -sheep^ buried under snow in the mountains of North Wales. Widespread falls occurred in many parts of Britain. Ice-breakers are out, and are clearing a passage in the canals between the North Sea and the Baltic. In the Elbe Estuary, -a British destroyer, the Zenith,1 collided with an ice-breaker. The destroyer damaged' her bow, but was able to continug on her way to Kiel.