Cold Increasing Death Toll in Europe
Local Editor
Authorities in Europe raised the death toll from the recent cold snap in the continent to at least 73 people, as heavy snow further blankets eastern European countries, where many refugees are living in already poor conditions.
The cold spell started last week and gripped large swaths of land in Europe, particularly in its eastern parts, reducing temperatures to the lowest some of them have experienced in decades.
Authorities in Poland, which has been hit the hardest by the crippling freeze, reported on Wednesday that two more people had lost their lives, raising the country's death toll to over 20 people.
Greece, which is home to large numbers of refugees, said that it had sent a ship to the island of Lesbos to house some 500 asylum seekers. The move came after rights groups put Athens under fire for keeping the refugees in snow-covered tents and sub-zero temperatures at campsites.
Amnesty International launched an online petition calling on European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to urge Athens to "urgently" move the refugees from Greek islands to the mainland, warning him that some of the refugees "are now at risk of freezing to death."
The UK-based rights group also said that these refugees have been "held hostage" in dire conditions in Greece because of the European Union's "inhumane and dysfunctional policies."
Heavy snowdrifts also paralyzed northern and eastern Bulgaria, blocking roads and causing power outages that left 117 towns and villages in darkness. The heavy snowfall also cut the main highway linking the capital, Sofia, with the Black Sea port city of Burgas.
Equipped with heavy machinery, army troops have been tasked with clearing major roads across the country and rescue stranded people.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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