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Avalanche at Swiss ski resort buries 'a number' of skiers
NBC news ^ | 12/26/2019 | Rachel Elbaum and Michael Fiorentino and Alanna Satur

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 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.

(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...


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KEYWORDS: avalanche; risky; switzerland
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2 hours ago
1 posted on 12/26/2019 8:43:51 AM PST by sodpoodle
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To: sodpoodle

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


2 posted on 12/26/2019 8:50:08 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: sodpoodle

Oh, dear! I hope they find all the missing people before it’s too late!


3 posted on 12/26/2019 8:51:34 AM PST by Tax-chick ("We should find strength and pride in being an idol-smashing people." ~ Bari Weiss)
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To: sodpoodle

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


4 posted on 12/26/2019 8:51:53 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: sodpoodle
Lassie! Timmy is buried in an avalanche!

Prayers up that they find everyone. What a horrifying way to go. :(

5 posted on 12/26/2019 8:52:39 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: sodpoodle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgdpDCN9OxA


6 posted on 12/26/2019 8:54:35 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire. Or both.)
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To: sodpoodle

Three avalanches reported so far today. What is it with the day after Christmas and these disasters?


7 posted on 12/26/2019 8:54:53 AM PST by Jim W N (MAGA by restoring the Gospel of the Grace of Christ and our Free Constitutional Republic!)
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To: sodpoodle

My grandson is going skiing in Switzerland in a few weeks. Scary.


8 posted on 12/26/2019 8:59:47 AM PST by surrey
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To: sodpoodle

This is horrible...prayers for all involved. However, I thought global warming had melted all the alps snow? Haven’t the ski resorts been closed for years because of balmy weather? /s


9 posted on 12/26/2019 9:06:41 AM PST by Jan_Sobieski (Sanctification)
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To: sodpoodle

What a terrible way to die. Just horrifying.


10 posted on 12/26/2019 9:07:59 AM PST by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: Jim W N
Three avalanches reported so far today. What is it with the day after Christmas and these disasters?

15-year anniversary of the Boxing Day Tsunami today.

11 posted on 12/26/2019 9:09:41 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: Jan_Sobieski

You would think there would be some kind of Avalanche Warning System in place.


12 posted on 12/26/2019 9:10:22 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: sodpoodle

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.


13 posted on 12/26/2019 9:12:07 AM PST by kaila
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To: dfwgator

December 26, 2004. The worst natural disaster in modern recorded history.


14 posted on 12/26/2019 9:13:16 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: dfwgator

Avalanche warnings are put out twice a day in Switzerland.


15 posted on 12/26/2019 9:13:54 AM PST by jjotto (Next week, BOOM!, for sure!)
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To: goldstategop

I’ve watched so many documentaries on YouTube about it. I still can’t even imagine it.


16 posted on 12/26/2019 9:13:55 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: kaila

Yep. Saw many avalanches (on the news) when living in Colorado. They would trigger them before the resorts opened.


17 posted on 12/26/2019 9:24:17 AM PST by originalbuckeye ('In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act'- George Orwell..?)
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To: sodpoodle

Prayers up.


18 posted on 12/26/2019 9:39:19 AM PST by Bigg Red (WWG1WGA)
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To: jjotto
Butt, butt, butt....... there's not supposed to be anymore snow.😳
19 posted on 12/26/2019 9:41:34 AM PST by rktman ( #My2ndAmend! ----- Enlisted in the Navy in '67 to protect folks rights to strip my rights. WTH?)
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To: surrey

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 :-)


20 posted on 12/26/2019 9:44:40 AM PST by Menes
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