THE UNUSUALLY cold weather, which began at the start of November 1999, has produced the most fatalities in the northern deserts, especially in the border state of Chihuahua, where temperatures at times have dropped as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 10 Celsius).
 
Gonzalez told reporters the deaths were mainly caused by hypothermia, prolonged exposure to cold, respiratory illnesses and in some cases gas poisoning from faulty heaters which people were not accustomed to using.
 
Officials said that in December 1999, hospitals in the north treated up to 20,000 people a week, mainly young children or the elderly, for health problems related to the cold.