NEWS: Cold Winter Kills Hundreds Across India and Nearby Regions, page 1

Afghanistan, Pakistan and India has seen the coldest and worst winter in recent years, bringing to the region, heavy rains, blizzards and avalanches. Over 300 deaths in Pakistan are being blamed on severe winter conditions, while in India, the death toll has surpassed 200 in just the last week. Afghanistan has no firm death toll, but over 250 deaths have been attributed to the cold.

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Helicopters have been dropping food, blankets and other emergency supplies on remote villages across the snow-covered region. Many roads are impassable.

Forecasters said the worst of the weather appears to be over but that snowfall may continue for a few days, while officials warned that warmer temperatures increases the risk of avalanches.

Highways in India's part of Kashmir have been blocked by that region's worst snowfall in 15 years, causing shortages of food and fuel, with many people struggling to stay warm. In Srinigar, India's main city in Kashmir, four restaurant workers were asphyxiated when they slept near a coal fire.

In Afghanistan, the U.S. military and international aid groups have helped rush provisions to isolated communities. The Afghan government has not estimated its toll from the freeze.

Canada's ambassador to Afghanistan, Christopher Alexander, said several thousands may have died, highlighting the continued poverty of Afghans and the government's weakness three years after the fall of the Taliban.

In Pakistan, more casualties were expected as workers cleared debris from avalanches and collapsed buildings.

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How can we continue to deny the fact that we are witnessing major changes in our weather and climate all around the world. Flooding has plagued nations in at least 3 different continents and in every case, the precipitation is being described as the worst in years and in some cases the worst in over a century. Global Warming is occuring and the weather is our first notification, let's hope that world is paying attention and not dismissing these incidents as random events.

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Kashmir Village Buries Avalanche Victims

[edit on 2-23-2005 by worldwatcher]