Death toll rises across East Asia after freak cold snap

Dozens of fatalities have been reported across Taiwan, Japan, and China due to relatively severe weather conditions that suddenly hit the region over the weekend.
At least 57 people are believed to have died in Taiwan since Saturday as a result of a rare cold snap sweeping through East Asia.

Taiwan’s Central News Agency reports fatalities may have already reached 85.

The majority of those deaths were reported in the capital Taipei, as well as New Taipei city and Taoyuan in northern Taiwan.

Temperatures in Taiwan's capital of Taipei plunged to a 16-year low of 4 degrees Celsius (39 Fahrenheit), killing 57…

Posted by ‎משה זאב‎ on Monday, January 25, 2016
Temperatures have fallen dramatically, to a 16-year low of 4 °C (39° F). While such temperatures may seem relatively mild to those from colder climes, it’s a sharp fall from Taiwan’s average January temperature of 16° C.

Taiwan has a subtropical climate so most homes don’t have central heating.

“In our experience, it’s not the actual temperature, but the sudden drop that’s too sudden for people’s circulatory systems,’’ said a city official quoted by AP news agency.

Many of those who died were elderly people suffering from heart trouble and shortness of breath.

The New Taipei City Police Department found one man dead on the street on Sunday, but most of the big freeze’s victims were discovered indoors, according to the Taipei Times.