Temperatures plunged to new lows in Europe where a week-long cold snap has now claimed more than 220 lives and forecasters warned yesterday that the big freeze would tighten its grip at the weekend.

People have been found dead on the streets in some countries, while thousands have been trapped in mountain villages in Serbia. Even Rome was dusted in snow, and Venice’s canals started freezing over.

In the last seven days, a total of 222 people have died from the cold weather, according to an AFP tally, with Ukraine suffering the heaviest toll.

The lowest temperatures recorded were in the southwest of the Czech Republic, where the mercury dropped as low as minus 38.1 degrees Celsius overnight. The EU executive said vital Russian gas deliveries had fallen in nine countries, with the Russian giant Gazprom invoking flexibility clauses as it also braves a cold snap. Supplies fell 30 per cent in Austria and 24 per cent in Italy. Ukraine’s emergencies ministry raised the death toll substantially to 101, of whom 64 died on the streets, from 63 previously. Almost 1,600 people have requested medical attention for frostbite and hypothermia and thousands have flocked to temporary shelters.

The ferocious temperatures killed eight more people over the last 24 hours in Poland, bringing the death toll to 37 since a week ago, police said.