Two deadly avalanches struck the French Alps on Wednesday, January 29, killing five people after several days of strong snowfall. The tragedies occurred in separate locations: one in the Vallorcine area near Chamonix in the Haute-Savoie and the other in Val Cenis in the Savoie region, where a group of Norwegian ski tourers was caught in a deadly avalanche.
The latter of the two incidents took place in the late afternoon in the Petit-Mont-Cenis sector of Val Cenis, an area known for its stunning but challenging ski touring routes. Seven Norwegian skiers were caught in the avalanche, which occurred between Pointe de Cugne and Mont Froid. Four of them were fully buried. Rescuers from the CRS Alpes de Modane were dispatched at 4:20 p.m., but three of the victims were already dead when they were found. The fourth skier was recovered alive and airlifted to Grenoble University Hospital. He succumbed to his injuries during transport. The three other members of the group, only partially buried, survived and are receiving psychological support.
The group had been well-equipped, with all members carrying avalanche beacons, according to the Savoie prefecture. Rescue teams, including members of the CRS Alpes, the High Mountain Gendarmerie Platoon (PGHM), and firefighters from the Groupe Montagne Sapeurs-Pompiers, worked alongside ski patrollers from Val Cenis to retrieve the victims. The avalanche risk in the Savoie and Haute-Savoie regions was rated at level 3 on a 5-point scale at the time of the accident, indicating a considerable danger level.
Earlier in the day, another avalanche in the Aiguillette des Posettes off-piste sector of Vallorcine claimed the life of a Swiss skier in her thirties. The avalanche struck at approximately 10 a.m., prompting an immediate response from the PGHM of Chamonix. Upon arrival, rescuers found the woman in cardiac arrest. Despite resuscitation efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene. She had been skiing with her father and brother, one of whom was also caught in the slide but survived and was transported to Sallanches Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
These fatal avalanches follow the death of a 55-year-old British skier on Tuesday in an off-piste area of the Grands Montets ski domain, further emphasizing the hazardous conditions in the Alps. Authorities have issued repeated warnings urging skiers and snowboarders to exercise extreme caution, particularly when venturing into unsecured terrain.
With fresh snowfall and fluctuating temperatures destabilizing the snowpack, avalanche risks remain high across the region. CRS Alpes emphasized in a Facebook post that the snow remains very unstable for tomorrow and the next few days. Rescuers and local officials continue to stress the importance of proper safety equipment, careful route planning, and strict adherence to avalanche forecasts to prevent further tragedies in the mountains.
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