Avalanche
A 27-year-old British man has died after being swept away by an avalanche at the entrance of Val Thorens, France, following heavy snow that has closed resorts across the Alps.ย Val Thorens received over 40″ of snow in the last couple of days.
The avalanche struck shortly after 10 a.m. on Thursday, as the man stood by the side of a road at the lower edge of the resort. He was buried under 50 feet (15 meters) of snow and carried down the mountain. Emergency services responded, digging him out and performing CPR before transporting him to Grenoble Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on Friday morning.
- Related: Avalanches in Val Thorens, France, Leave One Critically Injured and Force Ski Area Shutdown
The victim, whose name has not been released, had been staying with friends at the UCPA center in Val Thorens. According to local officials, a witness alerted authorities, prompting a rapid response from municipal police and gendarmes on foot. A rescue helicopter was dispatched but could not reach the scene due to severe weather and whiteout conditions.
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A record-breaking spring storm has blanketed the Alps with more than three feet (a meter) of snow in some areas, shutting down ski resorts, roads, and railways across France, Switzerland, and Italy. The Savoie region, home to Val Thorens, was placed under the highest avalanche alert by Mรฉtรฉo France, with warnings that the risk could persist as conditions evolve.
Authorities in Val Thorens and neighboring Tignes ordered residents and tourists to remain indoors for their safety, as avalanche risks reached their maximum level. In Tignes, over 43 inches (110 centimeters) of snow fell overnight, leaving cars buried and locals describing the situation as โworryingโ. Power outages affected thousands of homes, and major transport routes, including the Mont Blanc tunnel, were closed to heavy vehicles, leaving trucks stranded and rail services disrupted.
Elsewhere in the Alps, the stormโs impact was equally severe. In Italy, a 92-year-old man drowned in his flooded home in Piedmont, while two men volunteering for rescue efforts were found dead after their car was swept away by floodwaters near Vicenza. In Switzerland, the town of Sion advised all 36,000 residents to remain indoors as โexceptionalโ snowfall and avalanche threats persisted.
