VIENNA, Feb 22,  (V7N) — Heavy snowfall in Austria claimed two more lives in avalanches on Saturday, bringing the total number of fatalities to seven since Friday.

A 21-year-old Slovak skier was killed in the Styria region when a slab of snow broke off above him while skiing off-piste without proper avalanche safety equipment. The avalanche killed him instantly, according to local police.

In another incident, a 41-year-old Austrian man was caught in an avalanche in the Tyrol region. He was completely buried by the snow and, despite being rescued, succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.

Experts had warned skiers to avoid off-piste slopes after five people were killed in similar incidents on Friday. These fatalities occurred in the Tyrol and Vorarlberg regions, which were severely impacted by the heavy snowstorm.

The winter season in Austria has now seen a total of 24 avalanche-related deaths, with the country known for its winter sports tourism. In addition to the avalanches, the snowstorm also caused widespread power outages and transportation disruptions across the Alpine nation.

On Friday, a tragic accident also occurred when a snowplough fell down a flight of stairs, crushing a man to death.

The dangers posed by severe weather and ongoing avalanche risks have prompted authorities to issue further safety warnings for those venturing into the mountains.

END/WD/RH/