A general view of heavy snowfall on a road to Harrismith from Sterkfontein in South Africa
People have been stranded overnight in their vehicles (Picture: AFP)

Heavy snowfall has swept over South Africa as the world braces for further wild weather conditions and devastating floods.

More than 20 people have been killed in Central Europe after historic floods continue to ravage parts of Romania, Poland, the Czech Republic and Austria.

Thousands of residents have been displaced across the continent, with dozens more unaccounted for since the heavy rainfall began nearly two weeks ago.

Mayor of Polish city Nysa, Kordian Kolbiarz, has urged all 44,000 residents to evacuate and head for higher ground following fears of an embankment breaching and releasing water into the town.

The death toll in central Europe is climbing with fatalities confirmed in Romania, Poland, Austria and the Czech Republic.

Czech city Ostrava-Přívoz, which sits just by the Polish border, has seen extensive damage, with buildings flooded with mud and water and furniture destroyed.

A drone view shows the flood-affected area following heavy rainfall in Ostrava
The Czech military sent in helicopters to help with evacuations in Ostrava (Picture: REUTERS)

Flooded rail tracks are seen, after heavy rainfalls caused flooding, in Ostrava
The city is facing extreme travel disruptions with many trains unable to operate (Picture: REUTERS)

‘I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, where to turn. They brought me a bucket and some Savo [bleach] from the local authority, but I’ve lost everything – furniture, clothing, personal stuff, just everything,’ an Ostrava resident told local newsRomea.cz.

‘We escaped in the middle of the night with only a purse with our documents in it. I don’t know what’s going to happen’.

In Cannes, heavy downpours saw cars and people swept away by streets which turned into rivers.

Meteo France issued an urgent flood warning: ‘Moderate damages may occur, especially in vulnerable or in exposed areas and to people who carry out weather-related activities. Be careful, keep informed of the latest weather forecast.’

In South Africa, an unprecedented heavy snowfall led to disruptions across the country.

Major roads and highways have been shut down across the country, leading to significant traffic jams and delays.

Unconfirmed reports have said two people died from hypothermia due to the extreme weather.

People attempt to change a tire in heavy snow
The cold weather in South Africa has led to extreme delays on roads (Picture: AFP)

A person cycles through floodwater in west London
The UK is seeing heavy rain and storms (Picture: Reuters)

Last week, Storm Boris made its way across Europe, causing major flooding in Italy. And this winter could see even bigger storms hit the UK.

Bert, Kayleigh, and Naoise could soon be wreaking havoc in the UK, as they are among the names ready to be given to storms in the coming year.

The Met Office revealed this year’s list, which covers the 2024/2025 season starting in September to coincide with the beginning of autumn.

Earlier this summer Storm Lilian hit the UK, which was itself the tail end of Hurricane Ernesto, bringing winds of over 70mph to northern parts of England and Wales.

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