Assistant Minister of the Interior and Head of the Sector for Emergency Situations Predrag Maric stated today that 190 persons have so far been rescued and evacuated from snow-struck areas, including a 20-day old baby.

In his appearance on Radio Television Serbia (RTS), Maric said that 88 machines have been used so far to clean up the snow and that the Serbian Army gave great contribution both in personnel and with 53 machines.

Experts from the Serbian Army are currently assessing the possibilities of breaking ice caps on the rivers, and in the course of the morning it will be known whether explosives or construction machines will be used.

Speaking about possible floods, Maric said that he will raise this issue on Friday at a session of the State team for emergency situations in order to see what has been done on prevention and what more can be done.

He underlined that floods can be expected only if a sharp rise in temperatures occurs.

14 people dead of cold in Serbia

Temperatures dropped to record lows for this winter on Thursday morning, and 14 people have died as a result of the cold wave and heavy snow which have hit the country.

An elderly woman froze to death in the village of Padina near Kovacica (northeastern Serbia), Goran Nikolic from the emergency sector told Tanjug, specifying that the woman was found in the evening hours of February 7, but that the death was reported only on Wednesday.

Nikolic recalled that another woman died on the same day in Belgrade's neighborhood Banjica, when a heap of snow and ice fell from the roof and killed her instantly.

A total of 190 people, including a 20-day-old baby in Brus (central Serbia), have been evacuated and saved since the beginning of the cold snap in Serbia, said head of the Interior Ministry's emergency situations sector Predrag Maric.

He said that the emergency sector will continue the operation aimed at assisting municipalities that are severely affected by the freeze, and recalled that a state of emergency has been declared in 38 municipalities.

Maric said that until Wednesday, a total of 88 heavy machines, including 53 military ones, and more than 1,500 soldiers have been engaged in clearance and rescue operations.

Helicopters are distributing food to citizens in the most affected areas on a daily basis, Maric said.

The 14th victim of the cold wave in Serbia was found in the village of Vlaski Dol near Smederevska Palanka, central Serbia, Nikolic told Tanjug.

Nikolic said the medical examiner confirmed the man froze to death.