The worst snowfalls in years have paralysed much of central Europe, blocking roads and railways and cutting off towns and power supplies.
Snowdrifts piled up on trunk roads in southern Poland, stranding drivers heading north after New Year celebrations in mountain resorts such as Zakopane, where recent avalanches killed at least five people.
In the neighbouring Czech and Slovak republics the picture was similar as high winds built walls of snow up to two metres high as fast as ageing snowplough fleets could clear them.
The Slovak president, Mr Rudolf Schuster was slightly hurt when cars in his motorcade collided with crashed cars during a snowstorm in the west of the country.
Czech authorities declared a third of the country a disaster zone as army teams were sent in to help pull out stranded vehicles.
Three people have died in the past two weeks in avalanches near central Slovak ski resorts, and one village had to be evacuated temporarily because of the danger of more avalanches.
Temperatures in central Europe were forecast to plunge to minus 20°C (minus 4°F) overnight, with more heavy snowfalls and high winds expected.