Cold weather causes disruptions across Europe

Berlin - Germany was experiencing Wednesday the coldest weather in more than 20 years, with overnight temperatures dropping below minus 20 degrees centigrade.

The icebreaker 'Elch carves a 'path' on the river Elbe near Doemitz, Germany, 07 January 2009. The regular ship traffic has stopped on the waterway due to ice drift, the ferries across the Elbe do not operate either. The Waterways and Shipping Office currently employs icebreakers on the river Elbe and the river's lateral canal to free especially harbours and their approaches of ice. EPA/JENS BUETTNERNear Dresden, in the eastern state of Saxony, Germany's lowest temperature of minus 27.7 degrees centigrade was recorded in the town of Dippiswolde, according to the Meteomedia weather service. In the neighbouring state of Thuringia, temperatures dropped to minus 27.5 in Altenburg, south of Leipzig. Railway commuters experienced delays across the country, since train tracks and carriages had frozen overnight. Taxi vouchers were issued to passengers on the 40-kilometre railway service between the cities of Leipzig and Halle, which was disrupted by the weather. On the motorways, icy conditions prevailed and lorries were brought to a halt as diesel fuel froze, causing tailbacks. In a Berlin suburb, 120,000 residents lost their heat and electricity supply when a burst water pipe flooded cellars, covering roads with water which quickly froze to ice. Other parts of Europe have also been affected by the cold weather conditions. At 21 degrees below zero, Belgium measured its lowest temperatures in a decade in the town of Ernage, between Brussels and Namur. Milan's Malpensa airport in northern Italy remained closed Wednesday morning, as heavy snowfall prevented airport staff from reaching work. In Britain, millions of pensioners and severely disabled people have, for the first time in a decade, become eligible for a 25-pound (27-euro) cold weather payment, which kicks in when temperatures drop below freezing for seven consecutive days. Benefits paid out so far have topped 100 million pounds (109 million euros).