VIENNA, Feb 21, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A major snowstorm hit Austria on Friday, leaving five people dead and causing power outages and transport chaos, officials said. One man, aged 53, was crushed to death when a snow plough fell down steps in a "residential complex" in the northern city of Linz, police said. Up to 40 centimetres (16 inches) of snow fell on the Alpine nation since Thursday, prompting alerts for southeast Austria, notably in the region around the city of Graz. Electric companies reported power outages in several regions in the south and east, including Styria, where 30,000 homes lost electricity. In neighbouring Slovenia, 40,000 households were affected, according to local media, which reported major disruptions in the country's northeast.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha February 21, 2026 07:16 UTC