Several people have died across the Alps since last week following heavy snowfall.

An off-piste avalanche hit a group of seven ski tourers in the Pongau area near Salzburg, killing four and seriously injuring another person, ORF reported.

Earlier Saturday, another off-piste avalanche swept away a ski tourer in the same area.

Her husband called in the accident. Efforts to reanimate her failed, it said.

Rescuers could not immediately be reached on Saturday.

On Tuesday, an avalanche killed a 13-year-old Czech skiing off-piste in the Austrian Alpine resort of Bad Gastein.

Last Sunday, 58-year-old ski tourer died in an avalanche in the Tyrolean resort of Weerberg in western Austria.

In neighbouring Switzerland, a German man was killed in an avalanche, and four other people were hurt, as they were cross-country skiing on Friday.

Last weekend in France, six skiers died after being caught in avalanches in various Alpine resorts.