Parts of southern Austria were left buried in unusually heavy snowfall yesterday, prompting the Austrian army to intervene and help with clearing efforts.

One of the heaviest hit places was the town of Koetschach in Carinthia near the Ploecken Pass on the border with Italy, where army units had to be deployed in order to help clear snow from roads and buildings.

Parts of southern Austria had a month's worth of snowfall in the last three days, causing large snow drifts, which have seriously disrupted traffic and communication links.

The situation was made worse by the ice-cold drizzle which soaked the snow, making it much heavier than usual and more difficult to clear.

According to forecasts, the snowfall and rain are expected to ease in the coming days.