FROZEN EUROPE

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 February 1929, Page 5

FROZEN EUROPE

APPALLING ORDEALS WILD ANIMALS IN TOWNS (Australian Press Association.) (By Cable—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Received February 11, 2.30 p.m.) LONDON, February 10. The whole of Europe, from Moscow to Constantinople, is still suffering from the most intense cold for half a century. England, thus far, has escaped severity, but terrible conditions continue. A wireless message received in Vienna from Constantinople, which is the only remaining means of communication, states that in the distressed city, telephone and telegraph cables are interrupted, trains snowed up, and ships are prevented from leaving by a frightful tornado. Snow is nine feet deep in Constantinople, and suburbs. Troops are dispersing packs of wolves in the environs. Many of the homeless have been frozen to death in the ‘ streets. Owing to the likelihood of the collapse of workers, attempts to remove snow from the streets have been stopped. There is danger of famine, as the flour supply is limited. Most of the shops and all the theatres are closed, and the streets are empty.

The Orient express from Vienna, still buried in snow drift east of Thrace. It is understood that the passengers still have sufficient food and fuel.

The devastating cold is widespread in Europe. Ice compelled the closing of the Kiel Canal. Ice on the Great Lakes at Berlin is eighteen inches in thickness, and all shipping on the Rhine is suspended foi’ a fortnight. Wild deer are venturing into the towns in search of food. At places nearly a thousand miles south of London, lower temperatures are experienced than in England. At Marseilles it is five below freezing point. In the areas between the Baltic and Black Sea, there is between fifty and seventy degrees of frost. Reports from Moscow describe appalling conditions. The Mercury ceased to register since the temperature in certain districts has fallen to fifty-eight below zero. Schools are closed, and buses have been prevented from running owing to the impossibility of starting the engines. Milk is freezing, bursting the cans. The food supply is disorganised.