Europe battles snowfall; weather warnings issued in many areas

Roads blocked, schools remained closed as heavy snowfall hit European countries last week.

At least three people were hurt after an avalanche burst through the windows of a restaurant part of the Saentis Hotel in Switzerland on January 10.

Dozens of people were later evacuated from the skiing resort.

Eastern Switzerland and the northern canton of Graubünden have witnessed heavy snowfall of 50-90 centimetres over the last week.

A private helicopter was seen on January 11 using its propellers to remove thick layers of snow on top of trees along the highway connecting the towns of Taufkirchen and Holzkirchen, close to the German city of Munich.

According to officials, the snow on the pine trees weighed several tons and could fall onto passing cars.

Five districts in Bavaria declared a state of emergency due to heavy snow, with schools closing and roads being blocked.

The German army helped clear snow in Bavarian towns on January 11.

In Berchtesgaden, a town south of Salzburg and on the border with Austria, German soldiers were seen removing large piles of snow from the roof of a local spa.

Mayor Franz Rasp said that around 100 roofs still needed to be cleared and that a team of experts would now prioritise which buildings would come first.

A resident from Abtenau, Austria shared photos on social media showing her house covered in thick snow.

Monika Luener told that many roads have been closed and that an excavator cleared the way to her house.

According to media reports, heavy snowfall had triggered avalanche alerts in the Alpine regions of Tyrol and Salzburg.

The Greek capital of Athens woke to a rare snowfall on January 8 as the country shivered in the grip of a cold spell.

Snow covered sandy beaches and beach umbrellas on the coast. Most schools around Athens and the rest of the country reminded closed. The residents dug out their cars and front walks were buried under snowfall.

Local media reported power cuts in several regions and some villages were snowed under. Railway and bus services were also disrupted.