Serbia asks Hungary help break ice on the frozen Danube

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia has asked Hungary to send icebreakers to help clear the Danube river where large chunks of ice have formed in the past week of extremely low temperatures.

Authorities said Saturday they have declared an emergency situation along a stretch of the Danube near the Hungarian border. A statement says a Hungarian icebreaker could arrive on Monday.

River traffic along the Danube — one of Europe's main waterways — has largely been suspended in Eastern Europe during the cold spell. Other rivers and lakes throughout the region also have been covered in ice.

Temperatures have risen above zero Celsius (32 Fahrenheit) in Serbia, but more bad weather is expected next week.