Serbian town shivers without power for third day

By Aleksandar Vasovic BELGRADE (Reuters) - Emergency services in Serbia worked to restore power on Wednesday to an eastern region left without electricity, heating or running water for a third day by a cold snap that brought down power lines. Authorities said they hoped to restore power to some 5,000 people in the municipality of Majedanpek during the day, having previously promised power would be back on Tuesday evening. "Nothing is working, we have no heating, schools and kindergartens are closed, cash machines and banks are not working so we have no money," Silvija Vukasinovic, a Majdanpek-native said by phone. With temperatures below freezing, ice and high winds conspired to bring down power lines in the hilly region near Serbia's border with Romania late on Monday afternoon. "We've been helping people from the power grid all night," Predrag Maric, the head of Serbia's Department for Emergency Situations, told Reuters, saying he expected power to be restored in the afternoon. The local hospital was working off a high-power generator. Serbia's Radio B92 quoted a power grid official as saying, "We're risking lives, because it's dangerous working in such conditions." (Writing by Matt Robinson; editing by Ralph Boulton)