Europe battered by deadly winter weather

DEADLY WINTER weather has blasted Europe for another day, trapping hundreds of people in Alpine regions, whipping up high winds that caused flight delays and cancellations and raising the risks of more deadly avalanches.

At least 13 people have been killed in weather-related accidents in Europe over the last week, most of them from avalanches.

In Norway, attempts to find the bodies of four skiers were again put on hold due to poor visibility and heavy snowfall.

A 29-year Swedish woman and three Finns, aged 29, 32 and 36, were presumed dead after a 990ft wide avalanche hit a valley near the northern city of Tromso.

Romanian police found the frozen body of a 67-year-old man in a car park in the southern city of Slatina after his wife reported he had not returned from work the previous day. Temperatures in Romania plunged to a low of minus 24C in one area.

In Austria, hundreds of residents were stuck in their homes due to blocked roads and some regions experienced power outages after snow-laden trees took down power lines.

Schools in some regions remained closed for a second day and homeowners were advised to remove snow from their roofs after several buildings collapsed.

People have been killed by avalanches in Switzerland, Austria and Germany, and authorities warned that continuing snowfall is increasing the already high risk of more avalanches.

Low-lying north-western coastal regions were being hit by strong winds and wild seas, with worried that dikes may have been damaged.

In Greece, schools in Athens and many surrounding areas remained closed after snow blanketed the capital and temperatures plunged well below freezing. Some rural mountain roads were closed.