BBC Learning English
Words in the News
Europe's cold snap
3rd February 2012
Words in the News
© British Broadcasting Corporation 2012
Page 1 of 2
bbclearningenglish.com
The death toll from the ongoing cold snap in Central and Eastern Europe has risen to
more than 100. In some countries the army has been called out to help people trapped
by heavy snowfall and authorities have set up temporary shelters for the homeless. From
Warsaw, the BBC's Adam Easton reports.
Most of the deaths have occurred in Poland and Ukraine, where 65 mainly homeless
people have died from exposure over the last week as temperatures have fallen to
-30C.
In many Ukrainian cities the authorities have erected heated tents with hot tea and food.
Outdoor coal braziers have been placed beside bus stops in Polish cities and the police
are urging the public to report sightings of people sleeping rough in train stations or
allotments so they can be offered beds in shelters.
The extremely cold weather is forecast to continue for the next week. Rising demand
for gas has led Ukraine to increase its imports from Russia, and Poland to introduce
rationing to some industrial plants, due to fears that stocks will run out.
