The dead of Europe's winter
WARSAW A cold wave across Europe has left at least 23 dead in the past few days, authorities have said.
Russia celebrated the coldest Orthodox Christmas in 120 years, and even Istanbul was covered with a blanket of snow.
Ten of the latest victims of the cold perished in Poland, where temperatures were as low as minus 14 deg C on Saturday.
"Seven people died on Friday in what was the deadliest day this winter," said Ms Bozena Wysocka from the Polish government centre for security.
"We recorded three other victims the previous day."
In Italy, the cold has been blamed for seven deaths, including five homeless people.
Prague's emergency services reported three deaths - two homeless people and a carpark guard.
Temperatures fell to minus 24 deg C in Saint Petersburg, Russia, where police found the body of a man who had died of hypothermia.
In Bulgaria, the frozen bodies of two Iraqi migrants were discovered in a mountain forest.
The heavy snowstorms also reached Turkey, paralysing Istanbul where almost 65cm of snow fell on Saturday. - AFP
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