Twenty-five people still missing after avalanche struck Galtuer
Rescue workers in Austria have said that at least seven people are known to have died, and up to 25 more are missing, following an avalanche at a ski resort in the west of the country. Today's avalanche ploughed into the Austrian village of Galtuer in the Paznaun valley. More than 50 people are thought to have been buried when snow engulfed their homes. Twenty people have been pulled alive from the snow this evening.
More than 20 avalanches across Austria have claimed lives and left dozens missing. A search had just begun for people buried in a snowlide near Saltzburg, when the news came through that another, more deadly, avalanche had hit the village of Galtuer, situated a few miles from the Swiss border. The resort at Galtuer is said to be completely cut off by bad weather. A number of houses have been destroyed.
Around 20,000 tourists have been stranded for the past 7 days in the west of the country. Many popular ski resorts have been cut off from the outside world, with roads impassable. In some cases power lines are also down. Tonight people in the Swiss Alps remain on avalanche alert after another night of heavy snow. The search for 8 French skiers, missing since Sunday at a French resort, is being hampered by treacherous weather conditions. Officials say the chances of finding anyone alive are slim.
