Poland's coldest winter in nearly 20 years has killed 233 people so far, or more than the number who died during the entire winter last year. "Last week alone, 19 people died of cold. That's an exceptionally high number," police spokeswoman Grazyna Puchalska told AFP.
"The toll has already exceeded the total number of deaths from cold last winter, when 190 people died. And winter is not over yet," she added.
More than 100 of this year's victims were homeless people, and 43 were from the capital, Warsaw, or its suburbs. Many were heavy drinkers.
Temperatures plunged to minus 26 Celsius (minus 15 Fahrenheit) in northeastern Poland at the weekend, while a low of minus 11 C (12 F) was recorded overnight Sunday in Warsaw.
