Avalanche danger in the Alps
From dpa
Fri, January 15, 2021 at 12:40 p.m.
Foci
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Freiburg / Wittlingen (dpa) – Heavy snowfalls in southern Germany on Friday night caused chaotic conditions in traffic.
In the region around Freiburg im Breisgau, for example, roads were blocked, trees fell on the roadways and cars got stuck, the police said. Many trucks were stuck all night on several federal highways in Baden-Württemberg. Near Wittlingen near Lörrach, a pedestrian with her dog was hit by a falling tree, which probably collapsed under the load of snow. The 72-year-old died in hospital from her injuries. In Bavaria some train routes were impassable.
The police warned urgently not to underestimate the danger posed by the snow masses. Numerous trees threatened to break under the load and are a deadly danger. The meteorologists from the German Weather Service (DWD) have also forecast winter weather for the federal states for the weekend – with values around freezing point and well below that at night; partly with sun, partly with snow. There are also warnings about slipperiness.
In the Black Forest there is a risk of avalanches in some parts due to the snow masses. In large parts of the Bavarian Alps, the avalanche danger has now risen to the second highest warning level. “The situation remains tense,” emphasized the Avalanche Warning Service Bavaria. Many avalanches were reported on Thursday. Due to the increased risk of avalanches, excursion sites closed numerous hiking trails.
At Lenggries near Bad Tölz in the foothills of the Alps, an avalanche accident has already occurred in which two people were partially buried. They were hit by a medium-sized avalanche on the ascent to Brauneck at around 1350 meters. “The fresh snow of the last few days came off the Brauneck summit slope, which was heavily loaded with drift snow,” said the avalanche warning service. Fortunately, those involved were able to free themselves from the snow unharmed on Thursday.
Numerous trucks broke down on federal highway 31 on Lake Constance on Friday night due to heavy snowfall. Dozens of drivers had to spend the night there, and the DRK provided them with food and warm blankets, as a police spokeswoman said on Friday morning. The vehicles would have jammed for up to ten kilometers. Lorries standing sideways ensured that the flow of traffic in both directions temporarily stopped completely, as it was said. At times, the towing and clearing vehicles could no longer get through.
In the Allgäu and Upper Bavaria, heavy snowfall for the second day in a row brought train traffic to a standstill. Among other things, the railway closed the lines from Kempten to Pfronten, Oberstdorf and Lindau on Friday morning. Long-distance connections from Munich to Zurich were also affected. On the route between Memmingen and Lindau, train traffic was temporarily no longer possible, the route from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Reutte in Tyrol was also closed due to fallen trees, as on the previous day.
Snow and black ice also caused numerous traffic accidents in Saarland. A police spokesman said there were more than 20 weather-related accidents from Thursday evening to early Friday morning. It remained with sheet metal damage. There were no injuries. A 20-year-old novice driver in Sankt Ingbert lost control of his car on a snowy road and crashed into a parked car. Eyewitnesses are said to have observed how the 20-year-old accelerated while honking his horn and drifting on the street on Thursday evening.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210115-99-34476 / 4
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