Weather security

Snowstorms hold mainland Europe in an icy grip as scores succumb to bitterly cold weather

Heavy snow fall and below-freezing temperatures continued to sweep across the European continent Saturday causing scores of deaths, and grounding airplanes and crippling ferries in Italy and Turkey - an icy cold that is expected to continue over the weekend.

At least 10 people have died of the cold in Poland in the past days, according to officials which said they included seven men aged between 41 and 66 who died on Friday. A 51-year-old died of asphyxiation with carbon monoxide from a malfunctioning heater.

Temperatures there dropped below -20 degrees Celsius (-4 F) on Saturday and weather forecasts said it would drop further during the night.