At least five people killed in string of avalanches in Austria

"Tirol police said five off-piste skiers were caught up in a nearly 450-metre-wide avalanche on Friday afternoon in the St Anton am Arlberg area at an altitude of about 2,000 metres. An American and a Pole were among the five dead whose bodies were recovered after the avalanche, and a 21-year-old Austrian died of injuries after being taken to hospital, police said."

"Dozens of mountain-rescue team members, ambulance and fire department staffers, as well as several dog squads, were deployed for the operation. Late on Friday morning in the Nauders-Bergkastel resort to the south-east, a 42-year-old German man and his 16-year-old son were caught in an avalanche. The teen survived with injuries and called for help, but his father was killed. In Klosterle in the neighbouring Vorarlberg region, a 39-year-old Swiss snowboarder was caught and killed by an avalanche in an off-piste area, regional police said."

"The recent snowfall is currently drawing many people to the mountains even off-piste, Tirol's governor, Anton Mattle, said in a statement. It is painful that we have already had to record several avalanches with injuries and fatalities. His office said nearly three dozen avalanche incidents were reported on Friday, among more than 200 over the past week. So far, 11 people have died in avalanches this month, the governor's office said."

Intense snowfall over the last week led to accumulations of up to 1.5 metres, while strong winds and a weak snowpack created highly avalanche-prone conditions. A nearly 450-metre-wide avalanche struck off-piste skiers in the St Anton am Arlberg area at about 2,000 metres altitude; five skiers were caught and bodies were recovered, with an American and a Pole among the dead, and a 21-year-old Austrian later dying of injuries after hospitalisation. Rescue operations deployed dozens of mountain-rescue members, ambulance and fire staff, and several dog squads. Separate avalanches killed a German father and a Swiss snowboarder, and a teenage son survived with injuries. Nearly three dozen avalanche incidents occurred on one day, over 200 during the week, and 11 avalanche deaths have occurred this month. Weather remains turbulent with no relief expected Sunday.

Read at www.theguardian.com