One person dies in Swiss avalanche

GENEVA, Jan 20 (AFP): An avalanche in southern Switzerland has killed one person and injured two others, police said on Sunday, the latest deadly incident following heavy snowfall across the region.

A group of seven French nationals in a skiing party were on a snow ledge near the Vanil Carre mountain in the Chateau-d'Oex district on Saturday when the avalanche occurred, said police in Switzerland's Vaud canton.

A 39-year-old man was "totally buried" and killed, while two others survived with minor injuries, said the police statement.

Switzerland's national weather office earlier in the week raised its avalanche warnings to the highest level across several parts of the country.

Last week, at least three people were killed by an avalanche in western Austria.