SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina — On Tuesday, a substantial number of homes in Bosnia experienced power outages due to severe snow and strong winds, which also caused significant traffic disruptions in nearby Croatia and Serbia.

In Slovenia, efforts to locate an injured Hungarian hiker who went missing in the Alps near the capital of Ljubljana since Sunday were paused because of adverse weather conditions with high winds. Rescuers successfully reached his female companion on Monday and provided her with safe passage.

Amid the weather challenges, authorities across the Balkans issued travel advisories as snow drifts led to the closure of several major roadways. Both Bosnia and Serbia, along with Croatia, imposed restrictions on heavy vehicles and limited traffic flow on affected highways.

Early on Tuesday, a mountain rescue team utilized skis to assist a man who was trapped in his car on the way to a hospital for dialysis in central Croatia. Rescuer Dario Cindric stated, “We brought him there in time.”

Rail traffic ground to a halt in various parts of Bosnia, with the state power company labeling the situation as “extremely hard” in several regions. The heavy, wet snowfall caused significant damage to distribution lines, which were difficult for crews to reach.

The storm hit the northwestern and western areas of Bosnia particularly hard. Some residents were left without access to drinking water, and schools remained closed for a second consecutive day. Regional reports indicated that numerous vehicles were ensnared in snow for over 10 hours in western Bosnia before they could resume their journeys.

In Drvar, local authorities declared a state of emergency while they worked to clear the accumulating snow. Jasna Pecanac, the municipal council president, informed local media that the town remained isolated, stating, “Many of our residents are stuck in the snow.”