Unusually cold weather kills more than 60 in eastern Asia

Unusually cold weather in eastern Asia has been blamed for more than 60 deaths, disrupting transportation and bringing the first snow to a subtropical city in southern China in almost 50 years.

Temperatures in Taiwan’s capital Taipei plunged to a 16-year low of 4C (39F), killing 57 mostly elderly people.

Most homes in subtropical Taiwan lack central heating and the cold caused heart trouble and shortness of breath for many of the victims, a city official said.