Rescues as parts of Croatia hit by floods

Heavy rains have battered parts of Slovenia and Croatia close to the Adriatic Sea coast, causing floods and landslides, blocking roads and disrupting traffic.

In Croatia, rain and winds kept ferries to and from the islands in port and flooded coastal towns.

Local television pictures showed rescue workers helping residents of the flooded town of Vrgorac.

Further inland, snow and fog slowed traffic.

Meanwhile, persistent rain in coastal Slovenia caused the Dragonja river to overflow, blocking a key road in the area. A landslide brought down trees in the area of the port town of Koper, while parts of nearby Piran along the sea were submerged in water on Wednesday.