Frost from Europe to Asia

According to the Chinese government's announcement, the new cold wave in the south will last at least until February 21. In particular, Yunnan province is most affected in this cold phase.

Rescue agencies recorded 12 deaths and four others missing due to bad weather. Meanwhile, 80% of the 2 million people in Qujing, Yunnan's second largest city, must live in a power outage.

An electric pole fell in the snowy wind in southern China.(Photo: TTO)

Snowfall in recent days has caused traffic in the area to be congested and hundreds of thousands of people in transit with nearly 20,000 cars of all kinds cannot be moved. So far, six national highways and 42 car routes in Qujing are prohibited from circulation due to heavy snowfall.

The worst cold weather in the last 50 years has also affected ecosystems in Lake Poyang, Jiangxi Province, China's largest freshwater lake, when nearly 100,000 birds migrating to the east have disappeared. mysteriously.

According to Luo Shengjin, deputy head of the National Natural Resources Management Department in Lake Poyang, prolonged snow and ice has made it difficult for the flock of birds to fight the cold and find food. Some birds were found dead due to cold and hunger in the lake area. However, this is only a few.

Luo said an aerial survey will be conducted to determine the cause of the disappearance of the giant flock of migratory birds. And to ensure the safety of the remaining birds, the Lake Poyang conservation agency has mobilized about 100 people to bring food to the birds.

In Europe, Greece spent the second consecutive day in a blizzard . On February 18, a series of civilian flights were canceled while nearly 200 villages in many parts of Greece were isolated. Schools at all levels until university in Athens and many regions have closed. The roads in Athens are submerged in 10cm to over 20cm snow .

In Turkey, 1.5m thick snow cover in the eastern province of Van, leads to traffic congestion on hundreds of routes. Schools are ordered to close and traffic is restricted to prevent the risk of accidents due to slippery roads.

The city of Istanbul has to open many places to live and ask the hotel to welcome the homeless people to escape from the cold. There are at least three deaths reported. And in Portugal, flooding, landslides and power outages took place on February 18 in the Lisbon region. According to initial records, at least one person was killed and another was lost because of the flood. Many roads and houses in Loures, Sacavem and Setubal communities were submerged .

A road covered in snow in Athens (Greece) on February 17 (Photo: TTO)

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