A tragic incident occurred in Finnish Lapland as a woman and her son were found dead following an avalanche amid severe cold weather affecting the Nordic countries.
The boy’s body was discovered on Thursday morning in Pyhäkuru, close to where his mother was found on Tuesday after the avalanche struck during their ski hike.
According to Kirsi Huhtamäki, the leading crime commissioner, poor weather and the avalanche likely led to this unusual accident.
The Finnish broadcaster YLE reported that the victims, a 12-year-old boy and his mother from Korsnäs in western Finland, were caught in the avalanche. The experienced woman had contacted emergency services at 2 p.m. on Tuesday due to worsening weather, prompting a rescue mission.
Record-low temperatures cause major disruptions across Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.When rescuers could not locate them two hours later, the search was handed over to the police, who are still investigating the cause of death.
In Sweden, record-low temperatures have led to significant disruptions. On Thursday morning, rescue services and the army worked to free about 1,000 cars trapped overnight in a snowstorm on the E22 highway between Hörby and Kristianstad. The road is expected to remain closed until Friday morning, as snow removal and vehicle clearance continue.
Temperatures in northern Sweden fell below -40°C for the second day, with Kvikkjokk-Årrenjarka recording -43.6°C, the lowest January temperature in 25 years.
Extreme cold has also affected Denmark, Norway, and western Russia, where Moscow and other areas have experienced temperatures as low as -30°C.
In Britain, Storm Henk caused a fatal accident, power outages, and transportation issues. Flooding in France has led to evacuations and significant damage, with emergency workers mobilized to manage the crisis and reinforcements from neighboring countries aiding the response.