Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


    February 02, 2012

More Than 110 Die in Europe Cold Spell

   VOA News
   Passersby warm hands near a charcoal heater in front of the Royal
   Castle in Warsaw, Poland, Feb. 2, 2012. Photo: AP
   Passersby warm hands near a charcoal heater in front of the Royal
   Castle in Warsaw, Poland, Feb. 2, 2012.

   More than 110 people have died in central and eastern Europe as heavy
   snow and cold temperatures blanketed much of the region.
   In Serbia, at least 11,000 villagers were trapped in a remote
   mountainous village inaccessible by road. At least five people have
   died in the country so far.
   In Ukraine, 20 more deaths were reported in the country overnight,
   bringing the total dead to 63.
   In Poland, nine more people died after temperatures plunged to minus 30
   degrees Celsius. More than 29 people have died in that country since
   the freeze began last week.
   In Romania, the health ministry said eight people died overnight,
   taking the country's total number of deaths to 22 in the past week.
   More deaths were reported Thursday in the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and
   Latvia. While in Italy, hundreds of people were stranded as freezing
   temperatures and heavy snowfall caused disruptions on railways, roads
   and at airports.
   The freezing weather 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 AFP, AP and Reuters.

.