Avalanche at Swiss ski resort buries 'a number' of skiers

NBC news ^ | 12/26/2019 | Rachel Elbaum and Michael Fiorentino and Alanna Satur

[sodpoodle]

At least two people were injured and “a number” of people buried when an swept down a ski slope in Andermatt, Switzerland, state police said Thursday. “We believe there are more people buried but we can’t say how many,” Reto Pfister, state police spokesperson in the Swiss canton of Uri, told NBC News. The police first received reports of the avalanche at 10:50 a.m. (4:50 a.m. ET). Emergency services including Alpine Rescue Switzerland, Swiss Air Ambulance and the state police were involved in the ongoing rescue operation. A video posted on the Swiss news website site Blick showed a swath of snow careen down the mountain into the path of skiers who were then buried by the powder. The two people who were rescued were hospitalized with minor injuries, Pfister said. According to the Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research, the area has an avalanche a danger level of three out of five. Out of 13 ski lifts in Andermatt, seven were open on Thursday, according to Skiresort.info. Andermatt, located nearly 70 miles south of Zurich, is popular with skiers from around the world. This was not the only avalanche to occur on Thursday. In Austria, three avalanches came down in Ankogel in the province of Carinthia, an Austrian police spokesman said, according to Reuters. One happened outside the secured ski slope and buried two free riders who were able to free themselves.

[Onelifetogive]

Snowflakes, on their own, won’t harm you, but once they gang up - look out!

Like Antifa

[Diana in Wisconsin]

You got it, LOL! :)

[Does so]

Being buried alive isn’t fun. Head for the tree line if you hear an avalanche.

Uprooted mature trees and boulders are included with avalanche debris.

[Seruzawa]

I’ll stick with Alta.

[crazycat]

Just make sure they check the local avalanche Ski conditions and only ever go off piste, if they want to, with official Swiss instructors/guides...Andermatt is an extreme resort, they may well have been off piste.

[crazycat]

Just make sure they check the local avalanche Ski conditions and only ever go off piste, if they want to, with official Swiss instructors/guides, who are all very well trained...Andermatt is an extreme resort, they may well have been off piste.....as the skiing is fantastic there, the Swiss team train there.

[Swarthy Greek Immigrant]

Anyone blame global warming for all that snow yet?

[Svartalfiar]

At least two people were injured and “a number” of people buried when an swept down a ski slop

THREE authors and I assume an editor, and they still can't get 20 words into the story without some kind of major mess up? Man even the traditional 'journalism' standards sure have disappeared.