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Austria: Heavy Snowfall Claims Four Lives

Published February 21, 2026, 09:12
Austria: Heavy Snowfall Claims Four Lives

Four people have died in Austria due to heavy snowfall, three of them from avalanches. The snowfall caused power outages and transport problems, with sections of highways closed and flights at Vienna Airport temporarily disrupted. Three skiers were killed in Tyrol by avalanches, while a 53-year-old man was crushed by a snowplow in Linz. Authorities are warning winter sports enthusiasts to avoid going off-piste due to the high risk of avalanches. Since the start of the ski season, 18 people have died in avalanches in Austria. Rescue services have carried out around 200 interventions to save people buried in the snow. In Vienna, flights resumed in the afternoon, while the ring road and other road axes were impassable due to snow and stranded trucks. Power outages were reported in many areas of southern and eastern Austria, as well as in Slovenia, where around 40,000 households were left without electricity. Authorities are urging citizens to remain vigilant and avoid unnecessary travel.