A severe snowstorm in Austria has claimed the lives of two individuals, as confirmed by police reports. A 53-year-old man died after being trapped by a snow plow that fell from the stairs of a residential complex in northern Linz. Additionally, an avalanche in the western Tyrol region resulted in the death of a German skier. Since Thursday, up to 40 centimeters of snow has fallen across parts of the Alpine country, leading to avalanche warnings in the southeastern areas around the city of Graz.

In response to the severe weather conditions, Vienna International Airport temporarily suspended all flights in the morning, with disruptions to traffic reported later in the day. Major highways leading south from Vienna were closed for several hours due to snow drifts, stranded trucks, and poor visibility. The national automobile association, OAMTC, reported that numerous highway sections were blocked, illustrating the chaos caused by the storm.

Power supply companies reported disruptions in electricity across various southern and eastern regions, particularly in Styria, where approximately 30,000 households were left without power. The snowstorm has raised concerns about safety and infrastructure resilience, and it is expected that recovery efforts will be significant as the region digs out from the heavy snowfall and contends with its aftermath.