Over 40 people freeze to death in Poland

Officials in Poland say that over 40 people have died of hypothermia or fallen to their deaths in the mountains in sub-freezing temperatures.

The national police spokeswoman Bozena Wysocka said Monday that 39 people have frozen to death since Nov. 1, including 21 last weekend when temperatures fell to minus 18 Celsius (0 Fahrenheit).

Tatra Mountains rescuers say that six tourists have slipped and fallen to their deaths since Dec. 25 while trekking on frozen snow and ice in the Polish Tatras. Seven other died in falls in the Slovak part of the Tatras. The rescuers have appealed to tourists to give up trips in the high mountains that reach above 2,650 meters (8,700 feet).