LONDON (Thomson
Reuters Foundation) - Dozens of migrants are at risk of freezing to death in
Europe after heavy snowfall and bitterly cold temperatures hit Greece and
the
Balkans, aid agencies said on Wednesday.
Central and southeastern
Europe have been gripped by freezing weather and snowstorms for days, with
night-time temperatures dropping below minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus 4
Fahrenheit) in some areas.
The Missing Migrants
Project, set up by the U.N. migration agency (IOM), has recorded 11 migrants
deaths in the Mediterranean since the start of the year, including four who
died of hypothermia at Europe's land borders with Turkey.
In the past 10 days
a Somali woman was found dead from suspected hypothermia in Bulgaria and an
Afghan man died in northern Greece, while last Friday two Iraqi men were found
frozen to death near the Turkish-Bulgarian border, according to local media
reports compiled by the project.
As refugees and
asylum seekers continue to pour into Europe, poor conditions in crowded migrant
camps and informal settlements are putting their health at risk, Refugee Help
said.
"The snowstorms
are still going on and the situation is getting increasingly desperate as
thousands are exposed to freezing conditions," Help Refugees co-founder
Josie Naughton said by phone from Thessaloniki in northern Greece.
The IOM said it was
particularly concerned about more than 15,500 migrants and asylum seekers
housed in camps without adequate facilities on the Greek islands, including
many in places that have experienced heavy snowfall this week.
"DEADLY
CONSEQUENCES"
The IOM's comments
echo those of the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) which said last week migrants
stranded on the islands should be quickly transferred to the mainland or other
European countries.
More than 7,500
people are also stranded in freezing conditions in Serbia, including dozens
trapped near the Hungarian border..
Medical charity
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) told British broadcaster ITV on Tuesday it had
treated the first cases of frostbite in Serbia and warned of "deadly
consequences" due to hypothermia if people are not given adequate winter
shelter.
In the capital
Belgrade about 1,500 migrants, including hundreds of unaccompanied children as
young as 10, are sleeping rough in abandoned buildings, Save the Children said.
The agencies urged
European governments to act rapidly to avoid further loss of life.
"We call on
governments, large organizations and international agencies to reassess their
bureaucratic procedures and spend money where it's needed to prevent further
loss of life," said Help Refugee's Naughton.
IOM Director General
William Lacy Swing said in a statement governments needed to respond to the
dangers exposed by extreme weather conditions with food aid, shelter and other
resources.
REUTERS
0 Comments