More than 300 Europeans were cold

More than 300 people have died because of a record cold spell in Europe for more than a week and meteorologists warned that snow will continue to fall sharply in the coming days.

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The temperature in the Dutch city of Lelystad fell to -21.8 degrees Celsius, the lowest level in 27 years. Meanwhile, temperatures in many places in Ukraine fall to -36 degrees C. In Finland, the temperature drops to -40 degrees Celsius at night.

Officials in Ukraine announced 131 people died and about 1,800 people were hospitalized. The majority of the dead do not have a home, AP reported.

A tram stops because of the heavy snow
in Bosnia's Sajarevo capital on February 4. (Photo: AP)

Total deaths in Poland and Romania are 53 and 34 respectively. One highway and 29 national highways in Romania closed yesterday. More than 30 cities and villages isolated by snow. People in more than 200 villages and urban areas live in blackouts.

Bosnian officials mobilize helicopters to feed the isolated people to the outside world in more than 100 remote villages and welcome those who need to evacuate. In Serbia, more than 70,000 people are still isolated and about 32 localities across the country have taken emergency measures.

AFP said traffic across Europe was also stagnant because of the winds from the North Pole. Yesterday the number of flights at Britain's Heathrow Airport - Europe's busiest airport - is only 50% of the usual. Several hundred passengers were trapped in trains in Italy due to bad weather. People in the country's capital Rome saw the most snowfall in 25 years and traffic was almost paralyzed. 17 people died in the current cold spell in Italy.

"The snow is very beautiful, but let's hope that spring will come soon," Pope Benedict XVI told the believers as they gathered in St. Peter's Square.

People in 32 villages near Rome lost power from February 3 because of snow."The situation is very disturbing. We need the help of the military , " CNN quoted Piero Moscardini, head of a village near Rome.

Meteorologists say, although the average temperature across Europe has increased, snow will continue to fall sharply in the coming days. Cold winds from the Arctic have swept through the Mediterranean Sea and moved to northern Africa. Sixteen people in Algeria died in snowfall accidents and other unusual weather events.