Cold weather claims sixth victim in Serbia
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E-mail Xinhua, February 3, 2012
With the discovery of another frozen body on Thursday, the number of deaths attributed to the recent cold snap and abundant snowfall climbed to six in Serbia, reported the Serbian news agency Tanjug on Thursday.
According to Predrag Maric, head of emergency services with the Ministry of Interior, the body of a homeless man was found in an abandoned building in Lebane, an area in southern Serbia hit hard by the harsh winter conditions.
Maric said an estimated 11,500 people remain "cut off" due to snow in the 14 municipalities which have declared a state of emergency. In Sjenica, at the center of the Pester plateau at an altitude of approximately 1000 meters, the situation is said to be particularly critical as a state of emergency has been in place for 26 days.
According to the Serbian Meteorological Bureau, low temperatures to below -20 degrees Celsius and up to additional 50 cm of snow have been forecast for the next three days in Serbia.
According to the Ministry of Education, classes for an estimated 7000 primary and secondary school students have been canceled due to the frigid and icy conditions. Where schools are open, many have shortened class durations due to frequent power failures and a lack of adequate heating.
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