On January 17, two fatal avalanches occurred in the Pongau region of Austria, near Salzburg. Five skiers who were skiing on unprepared slopes after heavy snowfalls became victims of the disaster. This is reported by the BBC, writes UNN.
Details
The first incident occurred around noon when an avalanche covered a skier in an open area. Less than two hours later, at 2:00 PM, rescuers received a report of a second large avalanche that covered a group of seven people. Four people died on the spot, and another was seriously injured and hospitalized.
We express our deepest condolences to the families. This tragedy painfully demonstrates how serious the current avalanche situation is.
Series of fatal incidents in the Alps
Worsening weather conditions have led to a number of tragedies at European ski resorts over the past week:
- In Austria, a 13-year-old boy in Bad Gastein and a 58-year-old man in Tyrol died earlier.
- In Switzerland, a German citizen died in an avalanche.
- In France, six skiers died in the disaster during the week.
Rescue services urge tourists to strictly observe safety rules and avoid skiing off-piste due to the critical level of avalanche danger.