Snowstorm brings chaos to the Balkans and disrupts hiker rescue mission

A snowstorm hit the Balkans on Monday, causing traffic chaos, closing schools and leaving thousands without electricity.

In Slovenia, the bad weather hindered efforts to rescue two Hungarian hikers who got lost on Sunday in the mountains north of Ljubljana, the STA news agency reported.

A rescue mission was suspended overnight due to dangerous conditions, and while it resumed on Monday, a helicopter could not take off due to the persistent bad weather.

It’s reported that the pair remain at an altitude of 1,700 metres.

“We are getting closer, but I don't think we can finish before evening,” said Jernej Lanišek, who heads the rescue mission. Some 40 rescuers have joined the effort, he added.

Schools forced to close in Bosnia

In nearby Croatia and Bosnia, people were urged not to travel. Traffic was banned in the central Lika region in the Adriatic country, while schools were closed in Bosnia's northwest due to heavy snow.

Nearly 200,000 homes experienced power outages, and trucks and other heavy vehicles were banned from many roads. Drivers were warned to observe a “high level of caution" and not travel without winter equipment.

Ferry services have been cancelled along the Croatian coast.

The snowstorm is forecast to move to Serbia, where meteorologists warned people in western parts of the country to avoid travel and prepare for possible power cuts.