An avalanche started at 4:45 am on Sunday morning at 4:45 am between the Bavarian winter sports resorts of Gschwend and Balderschwang in the Allgäu. The connecting road was filled in over a 150-meter section.

Now about 1300 inhabitants and tourists are stuck there, as the police told Oberstdorf. "The Riedberg Pass is closed as a precaution, because there is a risk of avalanches," said a police spokesman. This blocks the only German connection to this popular destination in the Allgäu. The access from Austria is no longer possible.

However, the supply for the Balderschwang community, which is about 1,000 meters high, has been secured for the time being, and the power lines are intact. "An evacuation is currently not planned," it said. However, 40 people were taken to safety by the nearby Grasgehren ski resort. When Balderschwang will be available again is unclear.

Because of the snow load on the trees and the danger of avalanches, driving on the pass is risky. A commission of experts from the mountain rescue service and the authorities wanted to discuss the further course of action at noon.

Restrictions on train traffic in Bavaria

The train leaves its trains because of the winter weather in the Allgäu on sight drive. Affected is the route between Munich and Lindau . "Between Immenstadt and Oberstaufen snow-covered trees could crash into the track," said a railway spokesman. Therefore, all trains of long-distance and local traffic would go at significantly less speed . Rail passengers would have to adjust to delays of around 20 minutes.

Due to the snow, there are still stops on several routes in southern Upper Bavaria . Also in the Bavarian Forest track closures are still in force.

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Weather in Bavaria: thaw and even more snow

In addition to the large amounts of snow in Bavaria now threatened by another threat of temporary thaw. On Sunday, the warm front of a storm depression crossed Bavaria, so that the snow could be even heavier due to rain, as the German Weather Service (DWD) announced in Offenbach. The rain falls on the existing snowpack, which increases the snow load on the rooftops in the alpine and alpine regions.

Road impassable, steam locomotive stuck

In Lower Bavaria, fresh snow has led to numerous accidents and road closures , so the police and the fire brigade recorded more than 150 missions. Police said there were 24 accidents by the morning. A human was badly injured. In many places, trees fell on the streets, for example in the districts of Deggendorf and Straubing-Bogen, because the weight of the snow was too great. Many roads are therefore not passable. Clearing is currently dangerous for the helpers, because more trees could overturn.

But not only the south of the country has to deal with the extreme winter weather. In the Harz was on Saturday because of heavy snowdrifts the trip with the Brockenbahn been discontinued . On Sunday morning it was decided that for the time being no steam locomotives would drive from Schierke to the summit, as a member of the Harz narrow-gauge railway said.

On Saturday a train with passengers got stuck in the snow. Steam locomotive and passengers were brought back to the valley. Already on Tuesday, a steam locomotive did not get on the way to the summit and had to be shoveled for days. However, Brockenbahn failures are not uncommon in heavy snow storms.