Vienna - Up to 15 people were feared to be buried by an avalanche that went off on Sunday in the Hinterstoder skiing area in Austria, according to media reports.

After backcountry skiers saw the incident and alerted police at around 10:30 local time, rescue teams and several helicopters were dispatched to the avalanche site in the Upper Austria province.

Information about the exact number of victims and their condition was not immediately available. (dpa)