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Elderly Austrian couple escape avalanche - warned by their cows

Business Materials 25 February 2009 21:36 (UTC +04:00)

An elderly Austrian farming couple just managed to escape an avalanche sweeping down towards their house in Tyrol province Wednesday - after being warned by their cows, dpa reported.

According to local police, the couple took heed as the cows in the barn grew agitated.

The 68-year-old man and his 63-year-old wife just got out in time before the avalanche descended on the their property, leaving it under snow up five metres high. The animals were unhurt.

The heavy snowfall of the past few days saw a large number of avalanches triggered in the Austrian Alps Wednesday.

A man was killed in the Salzburg province when he was buried while snowboarding away from marked slopes.

Austria's avalanche warning services have declared a state of "high risk" in recent days - second-highest of five levels on the risk table.

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