Europe, US hit by cold cover

Paris/Washington, Dec. 20: Tens of thousands of European and American travellers were stranded on Sunday in rail stations, traffic jams and airports as heavy snow and ice caused massive disruption at the start of the Christmas holiday season.

In Poland at least 15 people died of exposure, mainly the homeless or careless drunks caught outside in temperatures that plunged to minus 20ºC, according to the police. In Germany, a 46-year-old man froze to death overnight in Mannheim. Roads and railways were closed or disrupted by snow drifts, black ice or floods across northern and western Europe, from Portugal to the Holland, and flights from London, Brussels and Paris airports were delayed. Snow blanketed much of eastern US on Sunday during one of its worst storms in decades with stores closed, flights grounded and traffic brought to a standstill, as holiday shopping suffered a cold snap.