Extremely cold temperatures compounded by gale-force winds and snow wreaked havoc across the Nordic region on Thursday, leaving thousands without power while others braved the cold for hours stuck in their cars along clogged highways.

Temperatures fell below minus 40 degrees Celsius (minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit) in the Nordic region for a second day in a row on Wednesday, with the coldest January temperature recorded in Sweden in 25 years.

The ban will take effect in a 20-block area of shops, pedestrian walkways and a few homes in order to curb pollution, reduce noise and encourage use of electric vehicles said Lars Strömgren, the city council member for the Greens who's in charge of the Swedish capital's transportation.

Kristoffer Böttzauw, head of the Danish Energy Agency, said emissions from the three leaks on the underwater Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines correspond to approximately 32% of annual Danish carbon dioxide emissions.

The Danish prime minister said on Tuesday, September 27, 2022, that she “cannot rule out” sabotage after three leaks were detected on Russian natural gas pipelines running under the Baltic Sea to Europe.