Dozens are dead and countless more are seeking medical attention as an icy winter rages on in Eastern Europe.

At last count 58 people were reported dead in the last week, most of them succumbing to hypothermia and severe frostbite. The unusually cold spell hit Ukraine and Poland particularly, with both countries suffering 30 and 21 deaths, respectively. Deaths have also been reported in Romania and Bulgaria, and nations’ armies have been called out in certain areas to provide support and rescue survivors trapped by blizzards.

The majority of the deceased were homeless, and therefore didn’t have sufficient means to fend off the sudden temperature drop. In some countries the cold reached -20°C, and in Siberia it dropped as low as -49°C. According to health officials in Ukraine, more than 24 000 homeless people have sought refuge in just 1 590 shelters across the country in the past three days. Additionally, over 600 people have sought treatment for hypothermia and frostbite.

It’s not only the freezing temperatures that are causing harm. In Poland, the Interior Affairs Ministry reported several cases of carbon monoxide poisoning caused by faulty heaters.

The cold is also spreading further west, affecting Greece and Turkey. Heavy snowfall in Greece has resulted in several schools and beaches being closed. In Turkey, conditions are even more severe, and the Bosporus Strait, the country’s main waterway through Istanbul, had to be shut down due to a severe snowstorm.

Weather forecasters predict the cold will only taper off towards the weekend.

[Source: Sky News, BBC]