Cold snap leaves three dead in Paraguay

Three people have died from hypothermia in Paraguay as frigid temperatures have dipped to between 0 and 10 degrees Celsius (32 to 50 degrees Farenheit), police said Thursday.

The first death occurred in Ciudad del Este, 330 kilometers (205 miles) east of the capital, killing a 62-year-old man.

A second man, 55, died in an Asuncion neighborhood, while a third man, 93, died in San Lorenzo on the outskirts of the capital.

The deaths, which happened Tuesday, were all reported as being from hypothermia, as the wind chill that day reached -3 degrees Celsius.

Farmers unions estimate that there will be crop losses from the frost that is covering the ground.

Paraguay had hoped for record agricultural production this year, particularly from grains and oilseeds.

Before the cold snap the country's central bank had predicted GDP growth to be at between 13 and 15 percent.

Police and medics have been carrying out rescue operations for the destitute in cities exposed to low temperatures. Forecasters predict warmer weather over the weekend.