
More than 2,000 people in the Swiss Alps were isolated on Monday and the avalanche threat level in parts of the Alps was raised to maximum alert after Europe endured its worst snowfall in 30 years with even more bad weather forecast for this week.

Davos in eastern Switzerland, the site of the World Economic Forum's main annual meeting next week, was badly affected, as train services to the ski town ground to a halt, national rail service SBB said.

The head of the local government in the town of Disentis, Robert Cajacob, told AFP, that the town's population of 2,200 as well as 'several hundred tourists' currently had no way out because of rail closures and impassable roads.

He said the situation was 'stable' but 'problematic.' Heavy snowfall has cut roads and rail links as storms continued to wreak havoc across the region.

Earlier today the Swiss Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) said the risk of avalanches was level 5 - the highest level - for a huge portion of the Alps stretching from the eastern part of the Bernese Oberland over the Urner and Glarner Alps and into the northern parts of Grison.

This danger level is extremely rare, having been assigned only one other time (January 2018) in the last 20 years. The SLF warned on its website that 'numerous very large and extremely large natural avalanches [that is, not caused by human interference] can be expected.'

It follows this morning's large avalanche which slammed into a hotel in southern Germany. The huge wall of snow smashed into Hotel Hubertus and caused 'massive damage' to at least four buildings in the village of Balderschwang, near the Austrian border.

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A powerful avalanche smashed through the glass windows in the spa area of the Hotel Hubertus in Balderschwang, southern Germany this morning

The avalanche ploughed into the hotel causing 'massive damage' to the building and several neighbouring structures but causing no injuries

The Swiss Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) has now raised the risk of avalanches to level 5 - the highest level - for a huge portion of the Alps

All 100 guests staying at the hotel avoided injury and have been evacuated, officials say.

But more than a thousand people remain trapped in the same village because of an avalanche risk on roads following days of intense snowfall.

It comes as police warned that further rain and snowfall forecast for later this week could trigger dangerous floods in the area.

In Berchtesgaden in the Bavarian Alps the snow is already three meters high, but by today another 70cm - 1m is expected. In some areas, such as those directly in front of mountain ranges where clouds gather, up to 5ft (1.5m) of snow is possible.

An avalanche slammed into a hotel in Balderschwang, Bavaria, this morning, causing 'massive damage' to the building and at least four others

Police warned that further rain and snowfall could trigger dangerous floods. In Harburg, southern Germany, areas are already flooding after the river Woernitz burst its banks due to rain and melting snow

All 100 guests at the hotel have been safely evacuated, but 1,100 people are trapped in the village as the surrounding roads are at risk of avalanches

Authorities are on the scene of an avalanche in southern Germany, but more avalanches are expected in the Alpine region as more bad weather is forecast for this week

Risk level key: Yellow - moderate; orange - considerable; red - high; red and black - very high

The worst affected areas are shown here in purple, where warnings have been issued for extreme weather (level 4). Areas marked in red are at risk of severe weather (level 3), and those shown in yellow are at a lower risk (Level 1)

It is the worst snowfall in Europe for at least 30 years and a state of emergency was in force across parts of the continent last night. More than 3m (10ft) of snow fell over the weekend in some areas of the Alps, with another 60cm forecast for today.

The national weather office, MeteoSwiss, said that parts of the Alps had seen 60 to 90cm of snow since Saturday night and that another 30 to 50cm were expected in some parts of the northern Alps in the coming hours.

Authorities in parts of Austria, Germany and Switzerland have warned that further snow and rainfall is raising the risk of avalanches, and increasing the weight on snow-laden roofs. Meteorologists have described the avalanche situation in the Alps as critical, as the area enters a second week of disruption with several schools shut and residents unable to get to work.

The German Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW), Bundeswehr soldiers as well as state and federal police officers are out in force clearing snow and helping residents to safety. In the district of Miesbach almost all roads in mountain and forest areas are closed.

The biathlon World Cup in Ruhpolding, Bavaria was due to start with the big opening ceremony tomorrow, but has been postponed due to the conditions.

Ruhpolding's mayor Claus Puchler said Sunday: 'We all hope that the dangerous situations can be resolved as quickly as possible, especially in our neighboring communities, and that it is still possible to host [the event] from Wednesday.'

French authorities have also warned of a high risk of avalanches in the Haute-Savoie region that borders Switzerland, while avalanches in western Austria have killed at least three people in recent days.

Meanwhile the total death toll from avalanches or weather-related accidents across central Europe has risen to at least 26.

A snowplough removes snow at the access to the Riedberg Pass in the direction of Balderschwang in Obermaiselstein, Germany

Members of the fire brigade shovel snow from a rooftop after heavy snowfall in Rosenau, Austria on January 14, 2019

A fire engine and grit vehicle remove snow from a road this morning following heavy overnight snowfall in Rosenau, Austria

Two employees at a ski resort in the French Alps were killed yesterday when the avalanche-control charges they were trying to set accidentally went off.

The pair of French workers were carrying out a controlled explosion when the accident took place at the Morillon ski resort. Mountain rescue experts said they had been working on an avalanche prevention programme.

Three German skiers were also killed over the weekend when an avalanche hit the resort of Lech in the Tyrol region of Austria.

An excavator moves snow in Kruen, Germany, a few kilometers north of the German-Austrian border, where heavy snowfall has caused roadblocks

A vehicle removes snow on a road after heavy snowfall in Rosenau, Austria. Weather forecasts warn that a snowstorm could cause further roadblocks and increase the danger of avalanches

Policemen remove snow from the roof of the ice stadium in Berchtesgaden, Bavaria. Weather forecasts warn that a snowstorm could cause roadblocks and increased avalanche danger in many parts of the affected region

Countries in the alps have received heavy snowfalls over the past days with weather forecasters warning that conditions could cause blocked roads and increased avalanche danger to its highest level (5) in many parts of the affected regions

A man clears a path to his house, in Davos Laret, Switzerland today after Alpine regions received heavy snowfall over the weekend

A man clears the roof of his house of snow this morning, in Davos Laret, Switzerland. The weight of the snow over a sustained period of time can cause damage to buildings

An avalanche hit a hotel in Balderschwang and the village has been cut off since yesterday because of the threat of avalanches

A sign reading 'closed due to avalanche danger' is seen at the access area to the Riedberg Pass in the direction of Balderschwang in Obermaiselstein, Germany this morning

Risky work: A man clears snow from a roof in Lofer in the province of Salzburg, Austria, close to the border with Germany

The alps have received heavy snowfalls over the past days with weather forecasters warning that conditions could cause blocked roads and increased avalanche danger in many parts of the affected regions. This was the scene in Lofer in the province of Salzburg, Austria, today

The bodies of the men, aged 32, 36 and 56, were found on Saturday. They were skiing with a 28-year-old companion who is still missing, but the search had to be postponed yesterday because of adverse weather.

The group of four had been near Lech am Arlberg using touring skis, which enable skiers to climb as well as ski down slopes and explore off-piste.

It came after several days of heavy snowfall which saw the army called in to secure roads and buildings and help with a number of evacuations.

The snow paralysed much of Europe, cutting off mountain villages and sparking avalanches. In parts of Austria 10ft of snow was reported.

Other fatalities have included people involved in road accidents or hit by falling trees.

A road in the Black Forest is closed due to snow in Seebach, southern Germany, this morning. Authorities in parts of Austria, Germany and Switzerland have warned that further snow and rainfall is raising the risk of avalanches, and increase the weight on snow-laden roofs

Heavy snow has paralysed much of Europe for yet another day, cutting off mountain villages and sparking avalanches

Bavarian mountain rescue service cars make their way down to the access of the Riedberg Pass in the direction of Balderschwang this morning after an avalanche smashed into a hotel

Cars caught up in the Europe's heaviest snowfall for at least 30 years are pictured in Davos Laret, Switzerland on 14 January

Switzerland faces further big amounts of snowfall and the danger for avalanches in large parts of the alps has risen to the highest level

Snow-covered cars are seen after the heavy snowfall in Bitlis province of eastern Turkey today as bad weather continues across Europe

Last week British holidaymaker Jeff Martin, 65, collapsed on a ski lift after suffering a heart attack and then fell from a height of 32ft. Emergency services tried in vain to resuscitate him for 30 minutes.

Mr Martin, an accomplished sailor who lived in Falmouth and officiated at the London 2012 Olympics, was on holiday in the ski resort of Méribel.

British skiers were among thousands facing long delays on their airport transfers to and from resorts in Austria due to road conditions, but travel industry sources said they had heard no reports of Britons snowed in or trapped.

Last week in Switzerland, a 1,000ft-wide avalanche ploughed through the front of a hotel while diners were eating. Three people were injured but miraculously there were no deaths.