At least five people have been killed in a string of avalanches in Austria, authorities said on Saturday. Combined with strong winds and weak snowpack below, the conditions were especially susceptible to avalanches, it said. In Klösterle 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. So far, 11 people have died in avalanches this month, the governor’s office said. “No relief is in sight for Sunday either,” the region office said.

Source: The Guardian February 21, 2026 21:16 UTC