German Red Cross deploy heated buses to help Berlin’s homeless amid cold wave

Berlin, Feb 10 (efe-epa).- The extreme cold that has gripped much of northwestern Europe in the wake of Storm Darcy has seen temperatures plummet to their lowest levels in years.

Temperatures on Tuesday night in Berlin fell to -11C (12.2F), with lows of -14C forecast for this week.

The German Red Cross has stepped in to bring some respite to the city’s homeless population, adding eight vehicles to its fleet of heated buses.

A total of nine vehicles are bringing teams of Red Cross volunteers to areas of the German capital where homeless people are known to sleep, delivering them hot tea, blankets, sleeping bags and mats as well as warm clothes.

The volunteers also offer people the option to spend the night in an emergency shelter.

The city’s largest homeless camp was dismantled on Saturday ahead of the cold snap.

“Because of the weather with cold, snow and moisture, the situation is very threatening, we can no longer guarantee that life and limb are safe for the people here,” deputy mayor Kevin Hönicke said. EFE-EPA

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