Snow and storm cause havoc in Croatia

A snow storm in Croatia and strong winds along the Adriatic coast on Wednesday caused maritime and road disruption and power cuts.

ZAGREB, March 10, 2010 (AFP) - A snow storm in Croatia and strong winds along the Adriatic coast on Wednesday caused maritime and road disruption and power cuts.

Major roads linking southwestern Croatia to the capital Zagreb were closed at many points, national television reported.

Heavy trucks were stopped from driving in the Gorski Kotar region, a mountainous area covered in places with nearly one metre (3.3 feet) of snow.

Winds of up to 180 kilometers (108 miles) an hour were recorded along the north Dalmatian coast, particularly in the Rijeka region, where some schools closed. Tree trunks uprooted by the wind damaged cars.

Some 30 bus lines linking Dalmatia with the north were cancelled, as well as some ferries in the northern Adriatic.

A part of the coastal town of Senj, 160 kilometers south of Zagreb, and many surrounding villages, were without electricity, the HEP supply company said.