REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, ATHENS -- Greece welcomed the New Year gripped by extreme weather conditions of heavy snowfall, rain, strong wind and sub-zero temperatures which have caused major disruptions in traffic nationwide.

The thermometer has dropped to minus 16 Celsius degrees in the region of Macedonia and Thrace in northern Greece and minus 1 Celsius in the southern part of the country.

Snowflakes covered much of northern and central mainland Greece and the mountainous zone of the Peloponnese peninsula in the south as well. Even the northern suburbs of the capital got dressed in white.

Many parts of national and provincial roads remain closed due to ice and snow by the police. Due to the intense snowfall in many parts of the country, the use of snow chains is necessary for the vehicles.

In the periphery of Attica, gale-force winds knocked down trees and damaged electricity lines, causing power outage for hours in some cases.

The Fire Brigade responded to dozens of telephone calls to pump water from flooded basements and remove fallen trees from blocked roads.

Travelling to islands was also forbidden, as ferries in the ports across the country remained docked, with winds blowing with up to 10 on the Beaufort scale.

According to meteorologists, the cold front is set to continue until Friday with strong winds, snowfall and freezing temperatures.

The City of Athens and other municipalities across the country have opened public buildings with heating to citizens in need and offered festive lunches to the homeless.

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