SOFIA, Bulgaria — Heavy snowfall and strong winds across Eastern Europe cut off hundreds of villages on Tuesday.

Temperatures in some countries plummeted to nearly minus 40 degrees Celsius. The Black Sea ports of Varna and Burgas have been closed due to wind. Serbia officials said they were prepared to use explosives to break ice on the Ibar and Danube rivers.

Italy took emergency measures Monday to deal with critical shortages of Russian gas following the icy weather. Russia reduced flow across Ukraine last week, citing domestic demand.

(Reuters)