Heavy snowfall has trapped some 13,000 tourists at Zermatt, one of Switzerland's most popular ski resorts.
The snow has blocked all roads and the train leading to the resort in the southern Swiss canton of Valais, which was also hit by some power outages.
Zermatt is home to some 5,500 inhabitants and has the capacity to accommodate 13,400 tourists spread across hotels and rental apartments.
But the stranded tourists will not be able to take advantage of the abundant snow for the time being, due to the high risk of avalanches in the area.
