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The number of people found frozen to death in a small Turkish town near the border with Greece has risen to 19, officials said Thursday, a week after a rare winter storm blanketed both countries in snow, CNN reported.

A statement from the governor's office in the Turkish city of Edirne said search and rescue activities were continuing in the region where the bodies were found.

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu on Wednesday said those who died were part of a group of 22 migrants.

Soylu said the 19 people froze to death in Ipsala, a border town often used by those seeking to enter the European Union.

Where the migrants came from and why they were stranded in frigid conditions remains unclear, but Greece and Turkey have blamed each other for the tragedy.

Soylu alleged on Twitter that the group was turned away by Greek border officials and stripped of their shoes and clothing. He tweeted blurred images that appeared to show the dead bodies of at least eight individuals, partially clothed and lying in the mud. 

Soylu called the Greek border patrol units thugs, and said the European Union was "remediless, weak and void of humane feelings."

Greek Immigration Minister Notis Mitarachi, however, denied Soylu's allegations of wrongdoing. The deaths on the Turkish border were a tragedy, he said in a statement, but added, "the truth behind this incident bears no resemblance to the false propaganda pushed out by my counterpart."

Mitarachi said that those who died "never made it to the border."

"Any suggestion they did, or indeed were pushed back into Turkey is utter nonsense," he said. "Rather than pushing out unfounded claims Turkey needs to live up to its obligations and work to prevent these dangerous journeys." 

The Greek foreign ministry did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment about Turkey's allegations.

The Council of Europe and migrants themselves have for years alleged that the Greek Coast Guard and border patrols push back migrants, sometimes at sea. Though the United Nations Human Rights Agency has documented "credible reports" of such incidents, the Greek government has repeatedly denied them.

There is a possibility of rain and snow in most parts of the country even today due to the effect of the western low-pressure system. 

Presently, light to moderate rain is taking place in some places in Province 1, Madhes, Bagmati and Gandaki, according to Weather Forecasting Division. 

It has been cloudy in Kathmandu Valley since morning and light rain is also falling in some places. The weather in the valley will improve in the afternoon. 

However,  both domestic and international flights are being operated from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) despite the adverse weather conditions. The IFR technology is being used when visibility is weak, the TIA office said.

According to the weather bulletin of the Division, there will be partial to normal cloud cover in Province No. 1, Madhes Province, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces and partial cloud cover in other provinces. Light snowfall is expected in a few places in the high hills and mountains of the eastern and central parts of the country. 

Even during the night, there will be partial to normal cloud cover in Province 1, Madhes Province and Bagmati Province and there will be partial cloud cover in other hilly areas of the country. 

The weather will gradually improve from Sunday, the Division said. The weather will be generally clear with partly cloudy weather across the country on Sunday. RSS

At least eight persons died and five others were injured when a jeep carrying wedding attendants met with an accident at Okharpata in Gaunukhi Rural Municipality-6, Pyuthan on Saturday.

The deceased have been identified as Basant Khadka, his wife Basanta Khadka and their daughter Alisha Khadka, Keshari Khadka, Nandi Khadka, Khim Khatri and Bale Buda Magar of Gaumukhi Municipality-6. The identity of one person is yet to be established.

Police said that two breathed their last during the course of treatment.

According to the District Police Office, Pyuthan, the injured are undergoing treatment at the Pyuthan Hospital in Bijuwar.

The incident occurred when the jeep fell some 300 metres down the road at around 1 am today.

Three persons were burnt to death in a fire triggered by a collision between a bus and a truck at Khuniya Bridge, border of Koshi Rural Municipality and Bhokrahanarsingh Rural Municipality, in Sunsari on Friday.

The incident occurred when bus (Na 8 Kha 8593) heading towards Kathmandu from Kakadbhitta, Jhapa crashed with the truck (Na 5 Kha 2996) coming from the opposite direction at around 7:30 pm yesterday.

Both the vehicles caught fire after the incident killing all of them on the spot and injuring 28 others, police said.

Of the injured, three are said to be critical condition. Police said that the injured are undergoing treatment in various hospitals.

Police said the bus driver, truck driver and a passenger lost their lives in the incident. The identities of the deceased have not been ascertained yet.

The bodies have been sent to the Dharan-bases BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences for postmortem.

Following the incident, police with the help of locals rescued to injured.

Both the vehicles have been completely destroyed the in the incident.

Police said that the fire was taken under control with the help of a fire engine, police personnel and locals.

Police said that the incident might have occurred due to the high speed of the bus.