Freezing temperatures across Europe claim 12 lives

FREEZING temperatures and snowstorms killed 12 more people and caused travel chaos across northern Europe yesterday as some of the worst floods in a century devastated parts of the Balkans.

Airports closed down or delayed flights across the continent, roads were coated in a mix of ice and snow and even Europe’s vaulted high-speed trains struggled to cope.

Authorities declared a state of emergency in Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro — and were evacuating hundreds of people after heavy rainfall caused severe flooding along the Drina River — the worst in 104 years, officials said.