The bitter weather, brought on by a powerful wind from Siberia, may have also led to the death of a homeless man in Milan.
The 47-year-old man died on Tuesday morning of heart failure that may have been related to exposure to the extreme cold, sources said.
He received paramedic assistance shortly after 8:00 am near Milan’s central station, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Meanwhile, schools were ordered closed in Rome for a second consecutive day after the capital saw its first snowfall in six years on Monday.
Trains were also suspended in the city, causing major disruptions to commuters.
Schools were also closed in Naples, and the city’s mayor, Luigi de Magistris, confirmed they will remain closed on Wednesday due to snow and icy weather.
Mr De Magistris called on all Neapolitans to “avoid going out for the next 24 hours because...the consequent formation of ice could be very dangerous”.
Snow and poor visibility in the capital of Campania caused traffic to and from Capodichino airport to be suspended for around 90 minutes on Tuesday morning.
Authorities fear that the cold snap could affect the turnout for Sunday’s general election.
With ANSA
