13 die in Europe as winter storm hits

Berlin,Jan 9:

At least 13 people have been killed in weather-related accidents across 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 yesterday due to poor visibility and heavy snowfall.  A 29-year Swedish woman and three Finns were presumed dead after a 300-metre wide avalanche hit a valley near the northern city of Tromsoe last week.

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. In Greece, schools in Athens and many surrounding areas remained closed after snow blanketed the capital. Some rural mountain roads were also closed.

Heavy snowfall in Hungary has paralyzed air and road traffic. Many flights were delayed at the Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, as both runways were under layers of snow.