VIENNA, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Snow chaos in central Austria due to more than a week of heavy snowfall was temporarily somewhat eased thanks to the snow break on Friday.

Austrian public broadcaster ORF said that the avalanche warning level in the morning was downgraded from 5 to 4.

Thanks to the snow break, rescue and relief works were being intensified.

In Upper Styria, helicopters are ready for supply and reconnaissance flights to the enclosed valleys, it reported. Heavy snowfall and poor visibility had hampered rescue efforts over the past few days.

Numerous municipalities remain cut off from the outside due to being snowed in. Access to some previously cut-off areas has been reached, though often only in a limited capacity.

Many houses in the central state of Styria remain evacuated due to an acute risk of avalanches, it reported.

Current weather forecasts indicate the situation will not ease until at least Tuesday, and in the meantime further heavy snowfall could be expected on Sunday.