Deadly weather ... eastern Europe has been hit by a severe cold snap.

Deadly weather ... eastern Europe has been hit by a severe cold snap. Photo: AFP

Heavy snow and a severe cold snap have killed at least 36 people across eastern Europe, with many areas under emergency measures as schools closed down, roads became impassable and power supplies were cut off.

As temperatures dropped to around minus 20 degrees, authorities opened hundreds of emergency shelters across the region and urged people to be careful and to stay indoors. Police went searching for homeless people to make sure they didn't freeze to death.


Temperatures in parts of Ukraine plunged to minus 16 degrees during the day and minus 23 degrees during the night. Authorities opened 1500 shelters to provide food and heat and shut down schools and nurseries.

At least 10 people froze to death in Poland as the cold reached minus 26 degrees on Monday.





In Romania, local media reported four people had died due to the frigid weather. Hungry dogs and puppies near the Romanian capital of Bucharest got a helping hand after a dozen prison inmates shovelled snow on Monday to unblock paths to a stray dog shelter housing 300 dogs.

The strays had been frozen in after snowstorms and icy weather swept Romania. Bucharest is home to about 50,000 stray dogs.


Strong winds also closed down Bulgaria's main Black Sea port of Varna.

In the Czech capital of Prague, city authorities worked to set up tents for an estimated 3000 homeless people. Freezing temperatures also damaged train tracks, slowing railway traffic.


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