Austria: Deadly Avalanches and Snow Disrupt Travel, Power
At least six people have died in Austria following heavy snowfall and subsequent avalanches, including a 39-year-old Swiss snowboarder, authorities confirmed Friday. The severe weather has disrupted road and air travel across the country.
Five skiers were killed by avalanches triggered by the recent heavy snowfall, according to Austrian police. In a separate incident, a 53-year-old man died after being struck by a snowplow that tumbled down the stairs of a residential complex in Linz, northern Austria.
The Swiss national who died was snowboarding off-piste near Klösterle in the Vorarlberg region when an avalanche struck, the Austrian Press Agency (APA) reported. A German skier also died in an avalanche in Nauders, Tyrol, and his 16-year-old son was seriously injured. Three people lost their lives in St. Anton after a “gigantic” snowslide, according to the Tyrol coordination center.
Authorities in Tyrol and the avalanche forecasting service have urged skiers and snowboarders to avoid off-piste routes. Since the beginning of the winter season, a total of 18 people have died in avalanche incidents in Austria, a predominantly alpine nation.
The national meteorological agency, GeoSphere, warned that the avalanche danger would remain high in all mountainous regions for the coming days. “The avalanche danger remains to be monitored in all mountain ranges in the next few days and will be largely marked as high,” the agency stated on its website.
Traffic disruptions were widespread. Vienna Airport experienced flight interruptions throughout the morning, but air traffic resumed by midday. The A21, the outer ring road around Vienna, was closed for several hours, and other sections of the highway network were temporarily closed due to snowdrifts, stranded trucks, and reduced visibility, according to the Austrian Automobile, Touring and Sport Club (ÖAMTC).
Power outages were reported in several regions of southern and eastern Austria, including Styria, where approximately 30,000 households were affected, according to local utility companies. Neighboring Slovenia also experienced widespread disruptions, with around 40,000 homes losing power, according to local media reports.