Austria avalanche: Three German skiers found dead near Lech am Arlberg resort as weather-related deaths in Europe rise to at least 24

Parts of Europe has been hit by heavy snow
REUTERS
Sophie Williams13 January 2019

Three German skiers have been killed in an avalanche, bringing severe weather related deaths in Europe to 24.

A fourth is missing following an avalanche at the Austrian ski resort of Lech am Arlberg.

The bodies of the men were recovered on Saturday evening, a few hours after the wife of one of the men reported them missing.

It comes as parts of Europe faces extreme weather with heavy snow hitting several countries.

Two workers remove snow after a blizzard in the Austrian Alpine ski resort of Obertauern
REUTERS

The three dead men, from the Upper Swabia area of southwestern Germany, were aged 57, 36 and 32.

The fourth person, who is 28 and also from southern Germany, was still missing, a police statement said.

Heavy snow has hit the Austrian Alps in the past week, raising avalanche warning levels and cutting off local roads.

The aftermath of an avalanche that hit the Hotel Saentis in Hundwil, Switzerland
EPA

The warning level in the area above 2,000 metres (6,560 feet) on Saturday was 3 on a scale that goes up to 5.

Soldiers, firefighters and volunteers in Austria have been attempting to clear roads left cut-off by the sheer amount of snow.

While in Munich, a nine-year-old boy was killed after a tree collapsed under the weight of snow.

People clear snow from inside the Hotel Saentis in Schwaegalp, Switzerland
AP

According to reports, at least one person was dug out of the snow.

Images from the scene show the sheer power of the avalanche, completely blanketing the hotel and the surrounding area.

In Norway’s Svaldard islands, more than 200 people have been evacuated due to a storm and a risk of avalanche.

While parts of Greece were left blanketed in snow including popular landmark the Acropolis.

Additional reporting by AP.

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