An avalanche engulfed a Swiss hotel as heavy snow battered Europe’s ski resorts.
Three people were injured in the avalanche and Hotel Säntis confirmed that there were no missing guests.
The avalanche occurred at around 4pm on Thursday afternoon in the Schwägalp pass area.
One eyewitness told Tagblatt that he had stopped by the restaurant to grab a beer and read the paper when he saw the snow approaching.
He said: “There was a huge noise and a load of snow came in from the back of the restaurant.”
Outside, the street in front of the hotel was completely buried with several cars and a bus under the snow.
According to reports, at least one person was dug out of the snow.
Images from the scene show the sheer power of the avalanche, completely blanketing the hotel and the surrounding area.
The incident comes as parts of Europe is battered by heavy snow which has left at least 17 dead.
Austrian broadcaster ORF said that the weather was expected to calm on Friday however further heavy snow could be expected on Sunday.
Around 9,000 households in the Czech Republic were without electricity on Thursday due to heavy snow.
In Norway’s Svaldard islands, more than 200 people have been evacuated due to a storm and a risk of avalanche.
Earlier this week, snow hit parts of Greece, leaving the Acropolis dusted in snow.
Locals had to contend with transport being brought to a standstill as ice made roads impassable.
Schools were also closed in the Athens region.
