Cold snap claiming lives across Europe, Russia

MOSCOW / WARSAW

Temperatures fell to record lows with the cold snap sweeping across Europe claiming more lives.

At least 110 people have died from the extreme cold in Russia since the beginning of the year, the Russian Health Ministry said yesterday. Across Russia, temperatures ranged yesterday morning from minus 22 degrees Celsius in Moscow to minus 33 degrees Celsius in the Siberian region of Yakutia. The cold also led to numerous deaths in Ukraine, Poland and Romania. The Polish Interior Ministry said six more people have died as a result of the freezing weather. The temperatures in the country fell at times to minus 32 degrees Celsius. Hundreds of people have died across Europe and thousands more were stranded because of the heavy snow in the Balkans since the cold snap began in January.
Around 146 towns and villages in Romania were isolated with no road or train connections because of blizzards. Electricity was also cut off to 300 towns and villages in Bulgaria, roads were closed and several border checkpoints with Romania and Turkey were closed down, the Interior Ministry said.