News / Europe

European Cold Spell Kills More Than 50

The Vistula River is covered with ice floe near the old town of Warsaw,  Poland, January 31, 2012.
The Vistula River is covered with ice floe near the old town of Warsaw, Poland, January 31, 2012.
TEXT SIZE - +

Cold weather blanketing much of eastern and central Europe has killed more than 50 people in the last five days.

Emergency services authorities in Ukraine said Tuesday that 30 people died, mostly the homeless, as a result of the cold in recent days. Authorities say another 500 people were treated at hospitals for frostbite and other cold-related injuries. Emergency workers have provided hundreds of heated tents and have given food to those vulnerable to the cold temperatures, which reached lows of minus 23 Celsius.

Meanwhile, officials in Poland reported five new deaths Tuesday, bringing the death toll there to 15, as overnight temperatures dipped to minus 30 Celsius in parts of the country.

In Romania, the Health Ministry says two people died due to the cold temperatures, raising the death toll to eight since the cold spell began last week.

The freezing weather has caught many Europeans by surprise, as this winter had been unusually mild with spring-like temperatures in many cities.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

You May Like

Report: MI5 Tried to Recruit Woolwich Murder Suspect

Suspect's friend, arrested Friday, told BBC Michael Adebolajo had been approached by British security service months ago to work as informant More

Kerry Calls on Nigeria to Stop Human Rights Abuses

After meeting with Nigerian president, US top diplomat welcomes Abuja’s efforts to investigate, reign in excesses by troops fighting Boko Haram militants More

Vintage Apple Computer Sells for $671,400

Auctioneer says buyer is from 'Far East' and wishes to remain anonymous More

Pakistan Reiterates Opposition to US Drone Strikes

Day earlier US President Barack Obama justified 'constrained' drone usage to save lives More

Study Identifies Risks of Human Spread of H7N9 Bird Flu

Study suggest that international measures to contain the H7N9 influenza, in the event of severe outbreak, will need to be targeted in Asia More

Violence Continues in Conakry Over Upcoming Elections

Opposition has called for boycott of elections More

Video Syria's Civil War Fuels Violence in Iraq

Analysts say al-Qaida-linked militants are flowing back and forth from both countries More

Video Star Trek Influence Lives Long and Prospers

As new movie thrills, many are once again discussing the iconic franchise's influence on society, science and technology More

OECD: Developing Green Cities Key to Sustainable Future

OECD suggests strategies to mitigate rapid growth, industrialization in urban centers, which produce about two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions More

This forum has been closed.
Comments
     
There are no comments in this forum. Be first and add one

Featured Videos

Your JavaScript is turned off or you have an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.
Your JavaScript is turned off or you have an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.
Video

Video Volunteers Help Revive LA's Concrete River

The Los Angeles River is a concrete drainage channel through much of its 80-kilometer length. It channels waste-water from storm drains and has become a receptacle for much of the city's trash. But as Mike O'Sullivan reports, the river is slowly being restored with the help of volunteers, who take part in an annual clean-up.