Some parts of the European continent are facing the heaviest snowfall of last two decades, paralyzing daily life while harsh winter conditions left nine dead in Australia and three in Germany. A 54-year-old woman died Thursday after waiting hours in a car which got stuck in a convoy on the highway due to heavy snowfall in Bavaria in Germany's south while a nine-year-old boy in the Aying district in Munich died after being trapped under a toppled tree on the same day, local police said. A snowplow driver died Friday when his vehicle toppled into Isar River in Bavaria, local media reported. Several railway lines in the Alps were closed because of the snow, and schools were closed in parts of Bavaria. The German Armed Forces announced that some 350 soldiers started to serve in order to open roads and clear snow on the roofs. The heavy weather has caused at least nine deaths in Austria. Berchtesgaden, near the Austrian border of Germany, was declared a disaster area after the snow reached two meters. Military units were mobilized so that relief supplies could be delivered to places that were disconnected from the outside world. Austrian public broadcaster ORF previously reported that the weather was expected to calm on Friday but further heavy snow could be expected on Sunday. The heavy conditions have been continuing for the last week. In the Czech Republic, around 9,000 households were without electricity on Thursday after heavy snow in regions bordering Germany and Austria. On Norway's Arctic Svalbard islands, more than 100 people were evacuated as a precaution because of a storm and the risk of avalanches. The Svalbard archipelago is 800 kilometers (500 miles) north of Norway's mainland. Norwegian news agency NTB said 29 dwellings at the foot of the Sukkertoppen mountain were evacuated, and a school, kindergartens, a sports facility and public library closed. In the north of mainland Norway, authorities warned of a risk of avalanches.<doc-sep>Several people have been killed by extreme weather conditions in Europe, including a 44-year-old man in the German town of Wackersberg in Bavaria and a young woman on the Teisenberg mountain in the Berchtesgaden region. In western Austria, five people were killed over the weekend. Norwegian officials said that four people, a Swedish woman and three Finnish skiers, were killed by an avalanche. With meteorologists still expecting inclement weather throughout the week, Dutch airline KLM announced it had canceled at least 159 European flights to and from Amsterdam due to the conditions. More snow on its way Meteorologists at the German Weather Service (DWD) expected up to 20 centimeters (8 inches) of snow in the Berchtesgaden district in southeast Bavaria on Monday and up to 40 centimeters in parts of the Alps and Alpine foothills. The service also warned of avalanches and snow damage, for instance from falling branches. The region has been hit with 60 centimeters of snow, according to the DWD, though it says the flurry could ease up temporarily on Monday afternoon. Several Bavarian school districts have canceled classes on Monday because of the conditions. The storm caused 120 flights from Munich airport to be canceled, also halting and delaying trains. Deutsche Bahn said on Monday that regional rail service in southern Bavaria could be subject to delays and cancellations. Authorities are expected to try to get public transport up and running again throughout Monday. The Bavarian Avalanche Warning Service has assessed the avalanche danger as "high" on the northern side of the Alps. The beauty of the Berchtesgaden Alps A regal view From August 2018 a new cable car will take visitors up the 1,800 meter high Jenner mountain. A short walk up to the summit is rewarded with a breathtaking view of the Berchtesgaden National Park - which was founded in 1978 to ensure that nature would be able to develop unimpeded. From the Jenner summit you can see the National Park's landmark Watzmann mountain and at its foot the Königsee lake. The beauty of the Berchtesgaden Alps Berchtesgaden The history of Berchtesgaden dates back to the founding of an Augustine abbey, probably in the year 1102. The settlement grew because of the flourishing trade from the local salt and metal mines. In 1810 the abbey came under Bavarian rule and to this day it still serves as a residence for the descendants of the Bavarian royal family. Part of the abbey building is also open to the public. The beauty of the Berchtesgaden Alps Focus on the mountains In the National Park Center "Haus der Berge" you can experience the park with all senses. Forest noises are simulated, natural phenomena explained, and stuffed animals can be touched and patted. A path leads up from the Königsee lake to the summit of the Watzmann mountain. The message of the exhibition clearly states: see nature's beauty - now protect and preserve it! The beauty of the Berchtesgaden Alps Watzmann mountain Majestically it towers over the Berchtesgaden area - the Watzmann mountain is the landmark for this region. The 2,700 meter (8,858 ft) mountain is known for its unusual shape. According to legend evil king Watze once terrorized this region. To punish him god turned him to stone (peak on the right) along with his wife (peak on the left) and his children (the small peaks in the middle). The beauty of the Berchtesgaden Alps Königssee Lake The lake is located between impressive mountain walls in the Berchtesgaden National Park. The fjord-like lake is eight kilometers long and nearly 200 meters deep - which makes it very cold, even in the summer. Every few minutes environmentally friendly electronically powered boats ferry visitors across the lake. The beauty of the Berchtesgaden Alps The renowned echo of Königsee lake About half way across the lake the captain stops the boat, pulls out a flugelhorn and plays a melody. Visitors can clearly hear the echo, created by the sound bouncing off the mountain cliffs. In the past small canon were fired - the sound of which would reverberate as many as seven times. But due to the fire hazard these posed on the boats, the preferred choice today is a trombone or flugelhorn. The beauty of the Berchtesgaden Alps St Bartholomew's pilgrimage church After about half an hour the electronically powered boats reach the Hirschau peninsula, below the east wall of the Watzmann mountain. It is known for the 17th century baroque pilgrimage church of St. Bartholomew with its red roof and onion domes. Near the chapel lies the old royal hunting lodge of the same name, which today serves as a restaurant and beer garden. The beauty of the Berchtesgaden Alps Wimbach Gorge Water loudly cascades through the Wimbach Gorge near the village of Ramsau. Leading through the ravine there are bridges and walkways taking you past 200 meters of steep cliffs. Particularly beautiful is the deep blue color of the Wildbach, brought about by sunlight being broken by the calcium particles in the water. An hour's hike into the mountains from here leads to the Wimbach Castle. The beauty of the Berchtesgaden Alps Suspension bridge in Klausbachtal The 51 meter suspension bridge crosses the Klausbach River and valley. This popular hiking destination in the Berchtesgaden National Park is also known as the valley of eagles - with a bit of luck visitors might be able to watch golden eagles soar. The beauty of the Berchtesgaden Alps Mountain pastures There are numerous mountain pastures in the Klausbachtal valley, like the Bindalm. It is easy to reach by foot or with the pasture adventure bus. Cars are banned from the protected area. The pastures are used traditionally. Cattle can only be found grazing on the mountain pastures during the summer. In the autumn farmers drive them back down into the valley. The beauty of the Berchtesgaden Alps Mountain cattle On the Bindalm you find Pinzgauer cattle, a bovine breed that is so rare that it is on the Red List of endangered species. At night they are allowed out onto the expansive mountain pastures, and the days are spent in the stables. Mountain farmers use their milk to make cheese which they sell, along with a glass of milk and a slice of bread, to mountain hikers. Author: Elisabeth Yorck von Wartenburg / sb dv/msh (AFP, dpa) Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.<doc-sep>An avalanche warning has been issued in the Alps after a skier was killed. The 20-year-old woman died buried under snow on Mount Teisen in Bavaria, near the Austrian border, on Saturday. German police said her five companions escaped unhurt. Image: Workers battle to clear blocked roads in Austria, following heavy snowfall Heavy snowfall has blanketed parts of southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland in recent days, causing travel chaos in some regions. More is expected in the coming days, with the German weather service DWD forecasting a further 40cm (16in) to fall in some areas by Monday. Advertisement Authorities have closed some roads and rail lines due to the avalanche threat, while airports in the region have struggled to clear the large amount of fresh snow and reported cancellations. Munich Airport, which is the second biggest in Germany, said 120 flights were cancelled and others were delayed while workers cleared runways of snow and removed ice from planes. Austrian railway company OeBB said several train services were suspended due to the avalanche risk. Image: Wintry weather has caused extensive disruption for travellers across the region Hundreds of passengers were stuck for hours on a train early on Sunday after a snow-laden tree crashed onto the tracks near Kitzbuehel, Austria. Around 14,000 households were temporarily left without electricity in northern Austria because of damage to power lines. Several roads were closed around the Austrian town of Bischofshofen, Salzburg, which hosted an annual ski jump tournament this weekend. Salzburg's regional authorities warned against off-trail skiing on Saturday, adding that "many large, several very large avalanches are likely in the afternoon and overnight" that could affect roads and rail lines. Officials said the slips could be triggered spontaneously and described the situation as "very precarious". The small village of St Johann was evacuated because authorities feared strong winds could trigger a large avalanche, the Austrian public broadcaster ORF reported. Meanwhile, some 600 residents and tourists were stuck in the village of Soelktal following a road closure, the station reported. Innsbruck airport said "current weather conditions have caused major restrictions in air traffic" and urged travellers to check their flight before leaving.<doc-sep>
Parts of Germany and Austria remain on high alert after extreme snow in Alpine regions, where 12 people have died in weather-related incidents. A nine-year-old German boy was the latest victim of the extreme weather, which has resulted in residents becoming snowed-in and motorists trapped for hours in freezing temperatures. The boy was killed by a falling tree in Aying, near Munich, on Thursday afternoon, police said. Two German skiers were killed by avalanches in the Austrian Alps at the weekend. The others died in traffic accidents or after being hit by falling trees. German soldiers use armoured vehicles to reach people trapped by heavy snow in Berchtesgaden. Photograph: Bernd Marz/AFP/Getty Images German and Austrian troops have been deployed to help residents trapped by the snow. About 300 German soldiers had been deployed by Friday as three Bavarian districts declared a state of emergency. The troops helped emergency services working around the clock to remove snow from roofs of buildings in danger of caving in under the weight. Schools remained shut and rail services were at a standstill in parts of southern and eastern Bavaria, as workers struggled to clear tracks of snow and fallen trees. Up to 100 flights out of Frankfurt and Munich were cancelled on Friday due to the weather. Roads were also closed due to fallen trees, accidents and snow drifts. Hundreds of motorists were stuck in their cars overnight into Friday as traffic ground to a halt on the A8 motorway near Rosenheim. The Red Cross and volunteers from the state-run civil protection organisation delivered aid to those stuck in freezing temperatures after lorries blocked the road, police told the German news agency DPA. A pair of snow-covered trains sit stranded at Berchtesgaden station in Bavaria. Photograph: Lukas Barth-Tuttas/EPA Marginally warmer temperatures in lower regions on Friday gave emergency services reasons to hope for respite. But forecasts predicted more heavy snow for the region over the weekend. The volume of snow has triggered multiple avalanches in the Alps this week, killing a number of skiers. Six German teenagers were among those rescued from an avalanche that engulfed them on Wednesday in the Austrian Alps, police said. The Austrian avalanche warning service said the danger of further incidents remained high. Its German counterpart lowered the warning for the likelihood of avalanches from “great” to “considerable”.