Geneva launches emergency ‘cold weather’ plan to help homeless

Temperatures have dropped well below zero in French- and German-speaking regions this weekend. © Keystone / Michael Buholzer

Much of Switzerland has been hit by below-freezing temperatures this weekend. In Geneva, the authorities have activated an emergency “cold weather” plan to offer shelter to all homeless people in the city.

Temperatures have dropped well below zero in French- and German-speaking regions due to a blast of Arctic air and snowfalls on Friday and Saturday. In La Brévine, in northwest Switzerland, the mercury fell to -21.8° Celsius (-7.2° Fahrenheit) on Saturday night – the lowest recording this year. Icy temperatures were also registered the same night in Koppigen in canton Bern (-15.4°C), La Chaux-de-Fonds in canton Neuchâtel (-13°C) and Zurich Airport (-8.6°C).

Meanwhile, the mercury remained above zero in canton Ticino in southern Switzerland (5.1°C in Lugano).

In view of the icy temperatures over the next few days, the city of Geneva authorities decided to launch a “cold weather” plan from Sunday for at least three nights.

The plan makes available emergency shelter to all people sleeping rough in the city. Additional accommodation is being made available, taking the total number of beds for homeless in emergency shelters to 638 in Geneva. In addition, 100 beds have been provided in local hotels.

The city’s welfare service is increasing the number of staff assisting those sleeping rough to provide them with blankets and hot drinks and direct them to existing facilities. The situation will be re-assessed on December 14 according to the weather.