More than 50 people have been injured in an intercity coach accident in the Canadian province of British Columbia.
It happened near the town of Merritt, where the temperature dropped to -3.9C on Saturday.
British Columbia’s Interior Health Authority has issued a code orange, which means services are responding to a disaster or mass casualty.
It is not known what caused the crash, which happened about 160 miles (260 km) from the provincial capital of Victoria.
Fifty-three people were taken to hospital after the incident. Their conditions have not been disclosed by local health authorities.
Prime Minister David Abe said he was “shocked and saddened” to hear of the “serious” incident.
He added: “Our thoughts are with those affected by the crash, their loved ones, and the first responders and healthcare workers who are doing everything they can to treat and keep people safe. “
A special weather statement issued at 16:24 (12:24 GMT) on Saturday warned of “difficult” travel conditions on the Okanagan Connector due to heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain.
All rail services between Toronto and Montreal, Canada’s two largest cities, have been canceled for Christmas Day after a train derailed in bad weather.
