Agentinian freeze kills 17, traps 3,000

Heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures in southwestern Argentina has left 17 people dead and more than 3,000 people stranded.

The cold weather began over the weekend when temperatures dropped as low as -20 C (-4 F) and heavy snow drifts forced the closing of roads and caused food and fuel shortages across at least five provinces.

With conditions easing today, authorities were attempting to airlift food, blankets and wood to families living in remote areas and snowed in since last week.

Forecasters said light snow was expected to continue falling through the end of the week.

The heavy snowfall had blocked roads across the region, including major border crossings into neighbouring Chile.

Authorities said at least 800 travellers stranded at the mouth of a tunnel crossing through the Andes mountains into Chile had begun to travel across the border.