Cold European weather leaves refugees in dire situation

Many destitute refugees and migrants who fled to Europe are dying due to the severe cold weather and governments must do more to help them, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said on Friday.

Five refugees have died from the cold so far and thousands more remain at risk as they live in unheated tents and dormitories across Europe, the body's spokesperson Cecile Pouilly said.

She called on European governments to help refugees and migrants rather than pushing them back from borders.

"It's about saving lives, not about red tape and keeping to bureaucratic arrangements," Pouilly said.

The refugee influx to Europe continues despite the bad weather conditions.

Italy's coast guard on Friday announced that it had rescued 800 refugees from the Mediterranean Sea on Thursday.

Syrian Refugees Not Receiving Adequate Support

In the United Kingdom, a parliamentary report has revealed that Syrian refugees who resettled in the kingdom are not receiving adequate support.

The government pledged to take in 20,000 refugees from Syria by 2020.

But local councils have warned that they are not being given enough resources to support the refugees.

TRT World's Sara Firth reports from London.