Tragedy Strikes After Taking a Three-Year-Old Out in Minus 30 Degrees... Europe Groans Under the Impact of Arctic Explosion

Europe is experiencing widespread damage due to an unprecedented cold wave known as the 'Arctic blast,' with some areas recording a historic low temperature of minus 50 degrees Celsius, resulting in tragic fatalities. The Arctic blast refers to a phenomenon in Western countries where cold air from polar regions suddenly and intensely penetrates. On the 6th, Russia's Interfax news agency reported that a 3-year-old child who had been out for a walk with grandparents in the northwestern Russian region of Saint Petersburg died the previous day. Local media reported that the cause of death was "provisionally acute allergy due to low temperatures."

In Podolsk City near Moscow, on the 4th when temperatures were below minus 20 degrees Celsius, the district heating system ruptured, cutting off heating to 173 apartment buildings and a municipal hospital.
[Photo by AP and Yonhap News]

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The western region of Russia, where the capital Moscow is located, has recently seen temperatures drop below minus 30 degrees Celsius several times. The average temperature in early January in this area is usually around minus 10 degrees Celsius. Moscow recently recorded minus 27 degrees Celsius, the lowest in 74 years. The severe cold also paralyzed infrastructure. On the 4th, in Podolsk city near Moscow, the district heating system ruptured when temperatures were below minus 20 degrees Celsius, cutting off heating in 173 apartment buildings and a municipal hospital.

The temperature in Enontekio, Lapland in northern Finland, dropped to minus 44.3 degrees Celsius on the 5th, and seawater froze in some parts of Finland.
[Photo by Reuters·Yonhap News]

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Not only Russia but most Northern European countries are also suffering from the cold wave. In Enonteki?, Lapland, northern Finland, temperatures reached minus 44.3 degrees Celsius on the 5th, and in some parts of Finland, seawater even froze. This is the lowest temperature in 25 years. Reuters reported on the 1st that a man in Finland's Lapland threw boiling water into the air, which immediately froze. At that time, the temperature was minus 30 degrees Celsius.

Due to the unusual cold below the average, electricity demand surged sharply, causing prices to skyrocket. On the 5th, Finland's average electricity price was 890.53 euros per MWh, far exceeding the previous record high of 505.68 euros in 2010. Meteorologists expect temperatures to drop further this week. Finland's Ministry of Economic Affairs warned, "For customers with spot contracts, electricity bills can be up to 20 times higher than the average daily charge." Finnish authorities urged citizens to conserve electricity during peak demand hours to prevent blackouts, and the local gas supplier Gasgrid plans to urgently order additional liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Not only in Finland but also in other parts of Northern Europe, the situation is similar. Swedish public radio reported that local temperatures dropped to minus 38°C. Due to this, electricity supply was cut off to 4,000 households, and in some parts of Southern Europe, drivers who could not return home due to icy and closed roads spent the night in their cars on the road or took shelter in nearby indoor stadiums. In Denmark, strong winds and snow hit the western and northern regions.
[Photo by AP·Yonhap News]

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Other parts of Northern Europe are facing similar situations. Swedish public radio reported local temperatures dropping to minus 38 degrees Celsius. As a result, power was cut off to 4,000 households, and in the southern region, drivers stranded due to icy and closed roads spent the night in their cars or took refuge in nearby indoor stadiums. In Denmark, strong winds and snow hit the western and northern areas. Police advised drivers to "avoid unnecessary travel." The passenger ferry Crown Seaways, which operates between Oslo, Norway, and Copenhagen, Denmark, was unable to dock in Copenhagen on the 3rd due to the cold wave. About 900 passengers spent the night on the Øresund Strait before arriving in Copenhagen the following day.

While Northern Europe is suffering from a record-breaking cold wave, Western Europe is experiencing damage caused by floods due to heavy rain. In the UK, as of the morning of the 5th, over 300 flood warnings were issued nationwide following overnight heavy rainfall.
[Photo by AFP·Yonhap News]

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While Northern Europe suffers from record-breaking cold, Western Europe is experiencing damage from flooding caused by heavy rain. In the UK, over 300 flood warnings were issued nationwide as of the morning of the 5th due to overnight heavy rain. Hundreds of flood alerts were also issued, and authorities have been monitoring the possibility of rivers overflowing across the country, including parts of the Thames River passing through London, for about five days since last weekend.

Although rain is not uncommon in the UK at this time of year, this time an unstable storm hit southern England, bringing an enormous amount of rain. This caused train services to stop across the UK, and in London, flooding since the 4th submerged roads, forcing at least 50 people to evacuate. Additionally, northern French villages that suffered significant flood damage at the end of last year were submerged again from the start of the new year without time to recover. In the most affected northern Pas-de-Calais region, at least 20,000 households were impacted by flooding, and local fire authorities received about 700 rescue calls within a week.

Due to concerns over river flooding, Pas-de-Calais authorities ordered the closure of 13 schools that were scheduled to reopen after the holiday on the 8th. Olivier V?ran, spokesperson for the French government, explained on French radio last weekend, "The recent recurring floods are influenced by climate change," adding, "From now on, there will be more frequent fires in summer and floods in winter every year."

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