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Five homeless die as temperatures plunge in France

Three of the deaths were due to hypothermia as temperatures fell to minus 14°C in some areas while the other victims died in a fire at a squat.

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Five homeless men have died in France, authorities said on Tuesday, as temperatures plummeted well below freezing, reports Channel NewsAsia.

One 29-year-old man was found dead in the northern city of Douai on Saturday and two others died on Sunday, one 50-year-old man in Paris and a Belgian 46-year-old in southeastern France. All three apparently died of hypothermia, according to authorities.

After an unusually warm spell of weather, France has been gripped by a sudden freeze in the past few days, with the mercury dropping to -14°C (7°F) and as low as -22­°C in the mountains.

French authorities said they had offered the 29-year-old man emergency accommodation but he had "systematically declined the offer". The 50-year-old Parisian had also been approached by authorities. He was found in a state of hypothermia and died when receiving first aid.

Read more of this AFP report published by Channel NewsAsia.