Milan, Italy - Heavy snowfalls and rainstorms in northern Italy on Wednesday disrupted air and road transport and delayed the opening of many schools after the Christmas holiday break.

All flight activity at Milan's two airports, Malpensa and Linate, was canceled until 1400 GMT due to weather conditions which have also prevented ground staff from arriving to work, officials said.

Several stretches of the highway network connecting Milan and other major northern cities such as Turin and Genova were closed after the icy conditions were deemed dangerous for motorists.

The adverse weather also caused delays to rail transport while concerned commuters inundated emergency telephone toll services for information, officials said. (dpa)