European cold snap death toll rises to 83

While Eastern Europe faces severe cold spell, more people freeze to death and others are missing in the snow, reports the Herald Sun. "The situation is dramatic, the snow is up to five metres high in some areas, you can only see rooftops," said Dr Milorad Dramacanin, who participated in the helicopter evacuations in central Serbia.

In Ukraine, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov calls "on citizens, enterprises, organisations not to be indifferent, to support and protect those people who cannot help themselves in this difficult time," while experts points at authorities' unwillingness and incompetence in dealing with the homeless. "Unfortunately, people continue to die, but we are taking all the measures to prevent it," said Svitlana Tikhonenko, spokeswoman for the Health Ministry.