At least 10 people have died in the cold that has gripped Poland in recent days, including seven men aged 41 between 66. A 51-year- old died of asphyxiation with carbon monoxide from a malfunctioning heater.

Heavy snowfall in Istanbul prompted major delays at Turkey's largest airport, where all domestic flights were cancelled up to Sunday night, according to airlines and Turkish media.

Over 600 more domestic and international flights have been cancelled at Istanbul's Ataturk airport, Dogan news agency reported on Sunday, as the city weathered a winter storm that surprised residents with up to 40 centimetres of snow.

Istanbul's Bosporus Strait reopened to shipping traffic on Sunday after being halted by the severe weather, although more snow is forecast for the week ahead.

Temperatures in Poland dropped below -20C over the weekend n Saturday, and weather forecasts predicted more to come.

In Belgium a man died on Saturday when his truck slid off a highway.

In Italy, sub-freezing temperatures were blamed for the deaths of a half-dozen homeless people.

With no indications of a let-up, some schools in southern Italy were ordered not to open on Monday because of a metre of snow in some areas, the ANSA news agency reported.

The chill didn't spare sunny Rome. The fountains in St Peter's Square froze overnight and dripped icicles instead.

Temperatures dropped to -7C in Greece's second largest city of Thessaloniki, and -10C was expected on Sunday, according to the Norwegian Meteorological Institute.

Several Greek islands, otherwise known for their sunny and warm weather, were blanketed in snow. Roads were closed temporarily across large swathes of northern Greece due to snow and ice.

In northern Europe, where residents are accustomed to sub-zero temperatures and snowy winters, police in Denmark warned about icy and slippery roads after dozens of minor traffic accidents.

AP