Officials said fresh snowfall in the Austrian Alps is poorly bonded to older layers on the peaks, increasing the risk of repeated avalanches, and urged extreme caution.
At least eight people were killed in a series of avalanches across the Austrian Alps on Saturday, police and mountain rescue services said.
Authorities have warned that conditions remained dangerous after fresh snowfall. Meanwhile, rescue services deployed more than 200 personnel and several helicopters.
Where did the accidents happen?
The avalanches occurred in the Grossarl Valley and Bad Hofgastein of the Salzburg region, as well as in Pusterwald of the Styria region.
Four skiers died when an avalanche struck a group of seven off-piste skiers, on the 2,150-meter (7,000-foot) Finsterkopf peak in the Grossarl Valley in the Salzburg state, rescuers said.
The others were seriously injured, they added.
Earlier, a woman was killed in an avalanche in the Bad Hofgastein area.
Later in the day, three Czech ski tourers died after being buried by an avalanche in the municipality of Pusterwald in the state of Styria, police said.
“Emergency responders were able to locate and partially dig out the buried victims. Despite immediate rescue efforts, the three individuals were found dead,” the police statement said.
Their four companions, who were not caught by the avalanche, were evacuated and provided medical attention, authorities said.
Source : https://www.dw.com/en/austria-eight-people-killed-in-three-avalanches/a-75551698