Posted on 12/26/2019 8:43:51 AM PST by 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 cant 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
Snowflakes, on their own, won’t harm you, but once they gang up - look out!
Oh, dear! I hope they find all the missing people before it’s too late!
Being buried alive isnt fun. Head for the tree line if you hear an avalanche. You cant outski it.
Prayers up that they find everyone. What a horrifying way to go. :(
Three avalanches reported so far today. What is it with the day after Christmas and these disasters?
My grandson is going skiing in Switzerland in a few weeks. Scary.
This is horrible...prayers for all involved. However, I thought global warming had melted all the alps snow? Havent the ski resorts been closed for years because of balmy weather? /s
What a terrible way to die. Just horrifying.
15-year anniversary of the Boxing Day Tsunami today.
You would think there would be some kind of Avalanche Warning System in place.
If it was on a resort run, then the resort was not doing avalanche control. Usually, they will use explosives early in the morning before the resort opens.
December 26, 2004. The worst natural disaster in modern recorded history.
Avalanche warnings are put out twice a day in Switzerland.
I’ve watched so many documentaries on YouTube about it. I still can’t even imagine it.
Yep. Saw many avalanches (on the news) when living in Colorado. They would trigger them before the resorts opened.
Prayers up.
Oh...I sincerely hope he will not encounter any problem or difficulties in Switzerland and instead return home to America with a treasure trove full of good spirits and happy memories :-)
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