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       A powerful thunderstorm has left 1,200 hikers stranded on a mountain in Austria.

       The severe storm forced the stranded walkers on the Rohrberg mountain to seek shelter in mountain huts and restaurants.

       Rescuers are working to try and bring down the tourists, after high winds knocked out the power supply to the gondolas. Today, a massive storm struck the Ziller Valley in Tyrol, which is 30 miles from Innsbruck.

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       A moped rider narrowly avoided death (Image: Markus Rieser)

       The high winds have led to power outrages, meaning the tourists are currently still stuck on the mountain.

       Buses have been put on by the local authorities to evacuate people from the Rohrberg, but due to storm debris on the road this is proving difficult.

       At the time of the power outrage, 400 people were on the the gondolas, but lift operators were able to use emergency generators to bring them to safety.

       Images of the damage caused by the storm have been circulating on social media.

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       Firemen inspect damaged caused by storm (Image: Markus Rieser)

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       In one photo from the village of Zell, a white moped lies abandoned on the road, covered with planks of wood.

       Local residents said the moped was being driven by a teenager, who was hit by the planks that came from the roof of a nearby ski school building.

       They said the girl had not received any injuries but had been shaken by the experience.

       A driver narrowly avoided death, after a huge boulder fell onto the road, while he was driving.

       Markus Rieser, a local from the village, told the Express that up to ten trees in his garden had been uprooted.

       He added that the roofs of his neighbours had been damaged during the storm.

       Hailstones the size of golf balls rained down (Image: John Varga)

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       A driver narrowly avoided death after a boulder fell onto the road (Image: Markus Rieser)

       An uprooted tree (Image: Markus Rieser)

       A Dutch tourist holidaying in the area tweeted that the storm had been "intense" and the wind "really strong".

       A van Duijvenboden wrote: "That was intense! An hour ago a storm passed in the Zillertal .

       "A lot of damage and again many trees down. The wind was really strong for a short time. Glad we were in."

       The Ziller Valley is a very popular winter and summer destination, attracting thousands of tourists throughout the year, particularly from the UK.

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