Constant winter storms and heavy snowfall have led to several fatal accidents in the Alps. In South Tyrol, a 31-year-old German woman from North Rhine-Westphalia died on Friday when she was caught in an avalanche in the Reinswald area in Val Sarentino. An accompanying ski tourer suffered serious injuries and was taken to a hospital in Bolzano. Another fatality was reported from Schnalstal, where a 52-year-old man was also buried by the masses of snow.
The situation is also critical in Austria. In Vorarlberg, a 61-year-old hiker from Bavaria died in the municipality of Silbertal. He was traveling with two other people in the Kristberg area when a slab avalanche broke loose. His companions were rescued with serious injuries. In Lower Austria, icy roads led to a serious traffic accident. Near Reith in the district of Scheibbs, two vehicles collided head-on; for a 53-year-old man, all help came too late, and another person involved was seriously injured.
The authorities urgently warn against the high avalanche danger, which has reached level 4 on the five-level scale in many regions. Strong wind and fresh snow are causing extremely unstable conditions off the secured ski slopes.
