Snow is disrupting traffic nearly throughout Croatia, with winter conditions declared in the Lika, Gorski Kotar and Slavonia regions, along the northern Adriatic coast, on most roads in central and northwestern Croatia as well as in the southern region of Dalmatia, the Croatian Auto Club said on Sunday.
A strong, sometimes gale-force wind is blowing in the northern Adriatic peninsula of Istria, along the entire coast and in parts of Gorski Kotar.
Some roads are closed for all traffic and many ferry lines are not operating.
Last night, at the orders of Defence Minister Ante Kotromanovic, a special army unit was formed to help in dealing with the consequences of the heavy snowfall in Dalmatia. The unit consists of 228 soldiers and machinery. It is deployed in military barracks in the Knin, Sinj and Split areas.
The State Protection and Rescue Department reported last night that many villages in Split-Dalmatia and Sibenik-Knin counties were cut off because of yesterday's snowstorms and that firemen and rescuers were helping the locals. Several areas in the two counties, both of which declared a state of emergency, also reported power ourages. The army was called in both counties to help clear the roads.
Parts of Dubrovnik-Neretva, Zadar, and Primorje-Gorski Kotar counties also reported power outages. Primorje-Gorski Kotar County reported problems in water supply in some areas.
An elderly man in Karlovac County froze to death.
