Trending 
A massive snowstorm swept across Austria on Friday, resulting in two fatalities and leaving a trail of destruction throughout the Alpine nation.
In the northern city of Linz, a 53-year-old man was tragically killed when a snowplough fell down a set of stairs within a residential complex.
Meanwhile, in the western Tyrol region, a German skier lost their life in an avalanche, prompting authorities to issue high-level alerts for southeastern Austria as snowfall reached depths of 40 centimetres.
The heavy accumulation triggered widespread infrastructure failures, leaving tens of thousands of people without power.
In the province of Styria, approximately 30,000 homes were plunged into darkness, while similar conditions in neighbouring Slovenia cut electricity to 40,000 households.
Emergency crews have struggled to restore services as continued snowdrifts and sub-zero temperatures hamper repair efforts across the region.
Travel was brought to a virtual standstill, starting at Vienna Airport, which was forced to temporarily suspend all flight operations on Friday morning.
On the ground, the situation was equally dire; the National Automobile Association reported that a main orbital highway around the capital was closed for several hours.
Snowdrifts and jackknifed lorries blocked major transit routes, and local police warned of extremely poor visibility, making road travel nearly impossible.
As the storm began to subside, the focus shifted to the persistent danger of avalanches in the mountains around Graz.
Recovery teams remain on high alert, and transport officials have warned that flight schedules and highway traffic will likely face lingering disruptions through the weekend.
The event marks one of the most significant winter weather disruptions the region has seen this season.
