It snowed in southern Albania for the first time in 32 years. The homeless are dying. Most rural areas are cut off by snow. There are temporary power and water outages and army helicopters are distributing aid in mountain areas. Shipping along Europe’s second-longest waterway is suspended as freezing conditions grip the continent, causing hardship among migrants, homeless and elderly. On Tuesday the death toll was 61, one-third in Poland. Icy conditions in Serbia claimed two lives. Refugees are at risk in Greece. Three people died in the past three days in Macedonia from temperatures of -20C. A 68-year-old homeless man froze to death in the capital, Skopje, while a 60-year-old man died in front of his home in Strumica. Authorities urged homeless people to go to shelters and local schools, which are taking them in during the cold spell. Elsewhere roofs are collapsing and schools are closed.
Europe: cold snap affects the poor, old and helpless
Written by David Fletcher 13 Jan 2017Additional Info
- Pray: for refugees to be moved from tents to buildings, for heaters to be distributed to the impoverished, and for the agencies working amongst the vulnerable to gain access to them through atrocious conditions. (Deut. 15:11)
- More: www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/11/europe-cold-snap-death-toll-hits-61-as-the-poor-old-and-helpless-succumb
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