Italy's south gripped in adverse weather

ROME, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Italy's southern regions were gripped in snow, ice and plunging temperatures on Friday, forcing closure of schools in some cities.

Bringing heavy winds, snow and rain, the storm raged overnight and continued into the day in some areas.

In the Puglia region in the heel of Italy's boot, trucks hauling fresh produce got stuck on the highways and some trains in the Basilicata region were cancelled due to intense snowfall, local media reported.

The region's prized olive groves as well as its fruit and vegetable fields have been damaged by the unseasonable cold snap, Coldiretti farmers association told ANSA news agency.

The latest wave of adverse weather follows a Siberian cold front Burian that swept through Italy last month.

Burian destroyed 20 percent of Italy's vegetable harvest and damaged 25 million olive trees from Puglia to the central Lazio region where Rome is located, according to the Coldiretti website.

The current springtime wave of bad weather could place the fruit harvest at risk while drenching the ground, making it impossible to sow certain grains such as corn, according to Coldiretti. Enditem