Cold Snap Claims 84 Lives in Poland

Published: 6 February 2001 y., Tuesday
A total of 84 people have died from intense cold this winter in Poland, police said Monday after temperatures plunged to minus 23 degrees Celsius (minus nine degrees Fahrenheit) in northeastern regions at the weekend. The frozen corpse of a 54-year-old man was discovered Sunday in the eastern village of Mielnik not far from a neighbor's farm. "Most of the victims are men between the age of 40 and 60 who die of hypothermia after succumbing to alcohol-induced drowsiness outdoors or somewhere without heat," said police spokesman Marcin Szyndler. The victims also include homeless people and and women, however. The youngest victim to date this winter was 19 years old and the oldest was 91.The current cold snap has been accompanied by considerable snowfall in some regions, but meteorologists forecast milder temperatures in the coming days.Last winter 154 people died of exposure in Poland, compared to 225 in 1999.
Šaltinis: Agence France Presse
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.

Facebook Comments

New comment


Captcha

Associated articles

The most popular articles

Community Mechanism activated to address flooding in Taiwan and forest fires in Portugal

The European Commission activated its Community Mechanism for Civil Protection over the weekend to help address emergencies in Taiwan and Portugal. more »

Madonna sings in Poland on holy day

She might have a holy name, but Madonna was not welcome in parts of Poland on one of the holiest days of the Catholic calendar. August 15th this year fell on a Saturday - the perfect day of the week for a pop concert, some might say. more »

Kicking the habit Crusoe-style

The 56 year-old former banker Geoff Spice has smoked for decades and is hoping a month alone in the wilds of Scotland will help him kick his 30 a day habit. more »

Music legend Les Paul dies

Les Paul was a dominant force in the music busine ss since Word War II. He passed away at a New York hospital on Thursday at the age of 94. more »

Militant eludes Indonesia's police

After days of not knowing, Indonesian police forensic tests have shown that a man killed on a weekend raid on a farmhouse in Central Java was not Noordin Mohammed Top, one of South-East Asia's most wanted men. more »

Quality of Living in Vilnius Higher Than in Neighbouring Capitals

Vilnius is the highest-ranking capital among neighbouring countries according to the annual worldwide Mercer's 2009 Quality of Living Survey. more »

Europe's future lies in the hands of young people

The European Union offers young Europeans the opportunity to express their views and help build a sustainable world. more »

Eunice Kennedy Shriver dies at 88

Eunice Kennedy Shriver -- the sister of former President John F. Kennedy -- died early Tuesday morning. more »

Summer motoring - keeping Europe's roads safer

There are many reasons for taking the car on holiday - practicality, fear of flying or the feeling of independence it gives. more »

Audio buoy helps blind swimmers

A new audio aid is giving blind swimmers at one beach in the south of France the freedom of the seas. more »