Snowstorms hit Germany, Hungary

Public transport was off the roads in the cities of Rostock and Greifswald reported numerous delays and cancellations in the northeast.

Heavy snow driven by strong winds brought road and rail services to a halt in northeastern Germany Saturday, authorities said.

A police spokesman at Stralsund on the Baltic coast said nearly 40 centimetres (15 inches) of snow had fallen on the offshore island of Ruegen, while drifts up to three metres (10 feet) deep blocked roads in Mecklenberg-Pomerania.

Public transport was off the roads in the cities of Rostock and Greifswald, while state railway company Deutsche Bahn reported numerous delays and cancellations in the northeast.

In Hungary meanwhile weather services declared a red alert in the centre of the country, saying up to 20 centimetres of snow was expected, adding that the eastern region would be affected on Sunday.

With snowfall already causing transport delays, Budapest airport was temporarily closed for snow to be cleared from the runways.