Freezing weather hits southern and eastern Europe

It's hard to imagine in the summer when this promenade in Thessaloniki, Greece, is crowded with tourists in swimwear. The beach, lying somewhere behind the lanterns, has become invisible under a thick layer of snow. While the ice has started to melt in southern Greece, the North is still experiencing record-low temperature.

In Poland alone, 27 people have died since the beginning of the year because of the icy weather. Some froze to death during temperatures of up to minus 25 degrees Celsius (minus 13 degrees Fahrenheit), others were poisoned by fumes from badly ventilated heaters.

In the Balkans, many refugees did not have sufficient protection from the cold. According to aid agencies, more than 1200 migrants were forced to sleep out in the open in the Serbian capital Belgrad in sub-zero temperatures.

The cold affects not just humans, but also animals. This bird got lucky - the Doiran lake in Macedonia did not become his final resting place. A fisherman saved the animal after it froze to the water.

Winter showed its beautiful side in Budapest, as the Danube river separating the districts of Buda and Pest carried drift ice towards aHungarian parliament lit up in bright orange by the sunset. While the icy Danube enchanted tourists, the cold put many poor Hungarians in danger. According to the interior ministry, 185,000 families relied on emergency firewood supplied by the government.

This fluffy white dust is all natural and not artificial – in Zauchensee, a popular skiing area in Austria, mother nature gave the snow canons a well-deserved break. According to forecasts, Austria and its southern neighbors will continue to experience ice cold weather for the next few days.