New Delhi

Christian institutions in India have opened their buildings to the homeless as a bitter cold wave has claimed more than 1,000 lives this winter. More than 500 people have also died in neighbouring Bangladesh as temperatures dropped as low as -3C. Normally, the temperature stays above 10. The Church of North India kept six schools open in the town of Ranchi as overnight shelters for the homeless. The Roman Catholic church opened the doors of two of its schools in New Delhi to people living on the streets.