At least 10 dead in three days as cold weather from Siberia hits Europe

A blast of cold weather from Siberia, nicknamed the “Beast from the East”, caused temperatures in Europe to plunge early on Tuesday, AFP reported. At least 10 people have died over the last three days in Europe due to freezing temperatures.

In Rome, temperatures dipped to minus four degrees Celsius. But Dolina Campoluzzo, an area in north Italy, shivered at minus 40 degrees.

As many as four people have died in Poland since Saturday. Temperatures dropped to minus 12 degrees in the central European country overnight on Tuesday. In Lithuania, where three deaths have been recorded, the mercury fell below minus 20 degrees.

Three people have died in France, where temperatures are expected to plunge to minus 18 degrees over the next few days, AFP reported.

In Belgium, the mayor of Etterbeek municipality of Brussels ordered homeless people to be forcibly detained if they refused to go to shelters. Authorities in Germany’s Capital Berlin said 95% of shelters for the homeless were already occupied.