PARIS, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Overnight snowfall and icy temperatures in northeastern and south central France have disrupted the electricity supply and road traffic and forced hundreds of drivers to sleep in their cars.

Earlier on Tuesday, 195,000 homes in the affected areas were without electricity after unusual October snowfall of up to 40 cm recorded in Haute-Loire and La Drome departments.

Snow and ice had also stranded 950 motorists in Haute-Loire, while between 250 and 300 vehicles were still blocked in a motorway in Puy-de-Dome, according to regional authorities.

Train traffic remains disrupted in the affected areas. France's state-run rail company SNCF said it had already sent workers to clear the snow-covered rails, hoping a return to normal operations later in the day.

According to Meteo France, the country's weather agency, five departments in northern and eastern France were put on orange alert due to heavy snow fall and freezing temperatures that have been forecast till Wednesday morning.