At least five people have died in Austria following a heavy snowstorm, including avalanche victims in Tirol. Vienna airport temporarily halted operations, and there were power outages and road closures. Avalanche risk remains high in the Alps.
A heavy snowstorm has led to at least five deaths in Austria. In Linz, a 53-year-old man was fatally injured when a snowplow fell onto stairs in a residential complex, police reported. In West Tirol, a German skier died in an avalanche, with his 16-year-old son severely injured. Reports on avalanche deaths in St. Anton vary: ZEIT mentions three fatalities, while other sources report two dead and three injured. Combined with the Nauders incident, where a 42-year-old German from Thuringia's Eichsfeld district was killed and his son survived, there are at least four avalanche deaths.
Up to 40 centimeters of snow fell, causing significant traffic disruptions. The A21 highway near Vienna was closed for several hours, and the ÖAMTC reported blockages from snow drifts and stranded trucks. Vienna airport suspended all flights in the morning, with delays later.
Power outages affected 30,000 households in Steiermark and 40,000 in Slovenia. Avalanche risk is high: In Bavaria, level four out of five applies above 1,600 meters, and a warning was issued for southern Austria around Graz. Avalanches could trigger with minimal load.
Authorities warn of ongoing danger in the Alpine regions.
