Rescuers search for skiers after Austria avalanche

Rescuers backed by helicopters and dogs were scouring a mountainside in a ski resort in western Austria on Sunday after an avalanche buried several skiers on Christmas day, officials said Sunday.

The avalanche came down around 3:00 pm (1400 GMT) at an altitude of 2,700 metres (8,858 feet) in the Lech Zurz ski area, trapping some dozen skiers, police said.

"One person was able to be rescued, efforts continue to find the others," a police spokesman told AFP.

There was no information immediately available on the identity of the victims.

Officials had warned of high avalanche risk in the area over the weekend.

In recent years, avalanches in Austria have killed about 20 people on average each year.