Nine people died in avalanches in Austria and Italy over the weekend as heavy snow and school holidays drew skiers into the Alps. Some of the victims died after skiing in unmarked areas despite warnings of elevated avalanche risk, police said.

Iranian rescue workers have ended their search for survivors following a series of avalanches that killed 12 people in a mountainous area north of the capital Tehran.

A series of avalanches in Iran have killed 10 people in a mountainous area north of the capital, according to state TV. The report said rescue teams were searching for a number of missing people after the avalanches struck in four different areas.