At least 11 people have been killed in the Alps in recent days.

On Sunday, at least five people died in two avalanches in Central Switzerland, one of them was a doctor who tried to help earlier victims. A second avalanche dragged him and others down the mountain. Three of the victims including the doctor died later in hospital.

In western Switzerland a skier was killed when he was hit by an avalanche. His body was found under 80 centimetres of snow.

Two German teenagers were killed in western Austria when they fell in a ravine.

On Friday, three people were killed in an avalanche in the French Alps on the border with Italy.

Western Europe is experiencing one of the coldest winters in the last decade. Heavy snowfall has seriously hampered road, rail and air travel during the Christmas holiday.

Photo: Avalanche - Flickr/Jeffrey