File Photo: Ten people have been killed in several avalanches across the Austrian and Swiss Alps over the weekend. Tourists from New Zealand, China and Germany were among the dead. /Keystone / Mayk Wendt/

File Photo: Austrian authorities put in place a level four avalanche alert – the second highest – following intense snowfall and wind in the area. Police Vorarlberg/Handout via REUTERS

Image: Austrian police announced five deaths on Sunday, including that of a 59-year-old man who was using a snow plough in the western region of Tyrol. They also recovered the bodies of a ski guide in Sankt Anton around the summit of Hohe Aifner. Markus Angerer/APA/

File Photo: In Switzerland, a 56-year-old woman and 52-year-old man were also killed by unstable snow in the south-east canton of Graubuenden on Saturday morning. Swiss police said a third member of their group managed to escape unharmed. Avalanches are common in both countries. /Image: Fotostand/Freitag/picture alliance/