Unseasonally heavy early snowfall in the southern Polish region of Małopolska has left thousands without electricity on Tuesday.

Firefighters responded to around 460 calls from residents for the removal of fallen trees.

The first autumn snow fell in the region of Małopolskie on Monday, breaking tree limbs and in turn causing damage to power lines and blocking roads.

Electricity was expected to have been restored to the area by noon on Tuesday.

"The interventions of firefighters related mainly to the removal of trees which fell under the weight of snow onto power lines, telephone, roads and sidewalks. The branches of trees damaged several cars,” the deputy head of the Operational Headquarters of the Provincial Fire Brigade in the region, Paweł Susło, told the PAP news agency, adding that no one was seriously injured. (rg/rk)