In Italy, two hikers were killed by an avalanche in the Italian Alps as extreme winter weather batters the European continent.
ADVERTISEMENTTwo hikers on snowshoes were killed by an avalanche in the Italian Alps near Switzerland, a rescue service said Sunday.
The avalanche occurred around noon on Sunday at the 2,200-metre (7,200-foot) level in the Formazza Valley in the Piedmont region, said Federico Catania, a spokesperson for Italy's Alpine rescue service.
The force of the avalanche pushed one of the victims into a lake near the bottom of the slope, while the other body was found in the mass of snow, he said.
Despite strong winds, a helicopter was able to lower a rescue team aided by a dog unit.
The identities of the two victims weren’t immediately released.
A search operation was launched after reports of an avalanche strike two hikers, Catania said. An initial search by foot failed to find the hikers, prompting the use of the helicopter.
A firefighters helicopter carrying divers was dispatched to recover the body from the lake, rescuers said.
Freezing -20°C in Poland
Thermometers showed 20 degrees below zero last night in Olsztyn, northern Poland, and also in Bialystok, in the north-eastern part of the country.
Even during the day, temperatures dropped to 10 degrees below zero in these regions.
Meteorologists say the upcoming night can be even colder. According to the national weather forecast, Poland is to be in the grip of frost until Wednesday.
Floods in France
Residents in northern France are bracing themselves for freezing temperatures after weeks of floods.
The Pas-de-Calais woke up with its feet in the water again this morning, and the nightmare seems to have no end in sight, this time with the arrival of the cold.
By Monday evening, temperatures are expected to drop below zero.