Over 500 die in Europe’s persistent big freeze

The death toll from a nearly-two-week-long cold spell in Europe has exceeded 500 and caused the continent’s busiest waterway, the Danube, to freeze.

Ukraine has suffered the most casualties, with more than 140 people killed over the persistent cold.

Italy, France, Serbia, and the Czech Republic are among other countries that have sustained casualties.

Forecasters expect temperatures to plunge even further at the weekend.

Cold Kills

Belgrade – A cold wave sweeping across Europe has killed more than 420 people since late January, many of them homeless, and weather reports on Monday forecast more snow and frigid temperatures for the week.

Ice floes drift on the Oder river in Frankfurt (Oder), Germany, 06 February 2012. A cold spell has reached Europe with temperatures plummeting far below zero

The snow has thrown transportation out of gear, blocked arterial roads and cut off remote villages in many areas.

Four more people froze to death in Ukraine, which so far has the most victims in eastern Europe at 135. About 2,000 people were hospitalized for treatment from exposure to the -30 degrees Celsius temperatures.

In Poland, nine people have died since Sunday, bringing the death toll from late January to 61, the Interior Ministry said. Officials urged citizens to check heaters as some people have died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Moscow’s municipal authorities said one man died from exposure overnight Monday, raising the death toll in the city to 63. Russian meteorologists said starting Wednesday, night temperatures were forecast to drop below -30 Celsius in Moscow, the Interfax news agency reported.

Serbia’s 10th victim froze to death in his unheated home in a village near Cuprija, 120 kilometres south-east of Belgrade, reported B92 online Monday, a day after the authorities declared a nationwide emergency situation because of the persistent snowfall and deep freeze.