Three avalanches across Austria killed eight skiers on Saturday, authorities said.
In western Austria, a female skier was fatally buried by an avalanche in the Bad Hofgastein area around 12:30 p.m., according to the Pongau mountain rescue service. The rescue service said the incident occurred at an altitude of about 2,200 meters (7,200 feet).
About 90 minutes later, an avalanche in the Gastein Valley, south of the city of Salzburg, swept away seven people. Authorities said four were killed, two were seriously injured and one escaped unharmed.
Later in the day, in the town of Pusterwald in central Austria, three Czech skiers were killed in an avalanche shortly before 4:30 p.m., police said. Police said four of their companions were evacuated to safety.
“This tragedy painfully demonstrates how serious the current avalanche situation is,” said Gerhard Kremser, district head of the Pongau mountain rescue service. Kremser also said there were “clear and repeated warnings” about avalanche risk.
The incidents came amid warnings about dangerous conditions in Austria’s mountains, rescue officials said.