Heavy snow and frigid temperatures have gripped large parts of Europe, leading to dozens of deaths, freezing rivers, the grounding of planes and traffic accidents.

    Ten people have died in Poland as temperatures as low as -30C (-22F) grip Europe, with snow falling from northern Germany to the beaches of Greece.     The 10 deaths from hypothermia happened outdoors or in unheated cottages or abandoned houses, said a government spokeswoman.     It means the cold weather has claimed at least 33 lives in Europe since the weekend, British newswire (Sky News) reported. In Italy, eight people died from the polar blast. 

    Lumps of ice have also formed in the Adriatic Sea, trapping fishing boats in harbours in Croatia, while there was an Arctic-looking scene in Budapest as large chunks flowed down the Danube. Beaches in Greece were also covered by snow, including two meters on the island of Evia and heavy falls on Chios and Lesbos - home to thousands of refugees, some of whom are living in tents. 

    There were also deaths in eastern France when a bus skidded on ice, killing four Portuguese people. In Bulgaria, police said two men from Iraq and Somalia had frozen to death in the mountains as they tried to make their way further into Europe. 

    Several hundred migrants also endured the cold in an abandoned warehouse in Serbian capital Belgrade, where night temperatures are around -14C. The freezing weather also killed six people in the Czech Republic, according to national radio, while in Serbia people in villages on Golija mountain refused to leave and abandon their animals - despite -28C temperatures. 

    One person also died when a car skidded on ice and hit a tree in Hanover, Germany, the DPA news agency reported. The city's public transport system was shut down and - despite people being advised to stay inside - many people across the country dusted off their sledges and skis and headed outside. 

    Many villages in northern Bulgaria have been left without water or power, as popular Black Sea resorts such as Sunny Beach shivered in -8C (17.6F) temperatures.     Hundreds of planes were also grounded in Turkey's largest city, Istanbul, as 65cm (25.6 inches) of snow blanketed the city.

Source: QNA