In an avalanche in the Swiss canton of Valais, four people have been carried away by the snow masses and spilled, police said. The disaster occurred on Sunday in the summit region of the Clochers d'Arpettes, about 60 kilometers southeast of Lake Geneva.
The avalanche broke loose at about 2800 meters at ten o'clock in the morning. The mountain rescue was on site, the police said on Twitter.
#LawinegeschangBovernier - 09:55 above the cloches d'Arpettes 2800 m. 4 people spilled. Rescuers on the spot. Follow information. Cantonal police VS. pic.twitter.com/DdwQ4CmpBB
- Police Valais (@PolizeiWallis) March 24, 2019Austria: Dead and seriously injured in avalanche departure
Only on Saturday there had been a dead and a seriously injured in an avalanche in Austria. According to the police, the two 64- and 57-year-olds had made a hike in Reichenau, about 100 kilometers southwest of Vienna. At noon, they were surprised at an altitude of around 1400 meters by an 80-meter-wide avalanche.
The snow masses tore the couple about 100 meters over partly rocky terrain, with the 57-year-old was spilled slightly, the 64-year-old completely. Hikers, including a doctor, heard the cries of the woman and provided first aid. The companion of the woman, however, they could only recover dead from the snow. The woman was taken by a helicopter seriously injured to the hospital.
"Third party debt could not be determined," says the Austrian police. "The avalanche and avalanche surveys did not find any traces of people who could have triggered the avalanche."