Three children have died and two others are in life-threatening condition after a wave of storms and freezing temperatures hit northwest Syria, according to UN officials and aid workers. Tens of thousands of displaced people are living in makeshift shelters in the area.
Heavy snow falls, storms, hail, floods and strong winds have raged across Greece in the last few days. The weather has caused power outages and so far three people have died. Concerns are growing for migrants living outside in camps, with some in Athens transferred temporarily to shelter from the cold.
Just ahead of this week's cold snap, authorities in the northern French cities of Calais and Grande-Synthe announced they would open emergency shelters to help house homeless migrants. But NGOs say the measures are insufficient and that the shelters are difficult to reach.
Floods in northwestern Syria have affected over 67,000 internally displaced people, according to UN agency OCHA. Meanwhile, unsafe fires at camps have led to at least one death.
Although authorities in the northern French port city of Calais last week activated its "Great Cold Plan" to shield homeless migrants from an approaching winter storm, hundreds of migrants were still left out in the snow. In the neighbouring town of Grande Synthe, the situation was even worse for the nearly 500 migrants living in the Puythouck forest camp.
The first snowfall last week in northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina has increased the difficulties for migrants, particularly those sleeping in tents and outdoor shelters. Local NGOs say thousands could be affected.
Migrants and refugees put themselves through all sorts of extreme situations to find a new place to live. The border region between Italy and France is especially perilous due to high mountain ranges and extreme weather conditions. Activists and local residents try to offer shelter and speak out warnings.