Valloire, France. Two separate avalanches in the French Alps killed three people and left four wounded, local authorities and French media said on Tuesday.
Avalanche in Valloire
Around midday, a large slide about 300 metres wide swept across a road and a footpath in the town of Valloire in southeast France, the prefecture of Savoie said in a statement. Rescue teams, including mountain police officers, firefighters, dog units and army specialists, were deployed for more than four hours before operations were halted in the late afternoon due to the risk of further avalanches, the prefecture said. Two of the wounded were in serious condition and were evacuated by helicopter to nearby hospitals, it added.
Off-piste avalanche in La Grave
French broadcaster BFMTV reported, citing the prosecutor in the town of Gap, that two skiers had died earlier in an off-piste avalanche in La Grave in the neighbouring Hautes-Alpes region.
Weather alert and broader conditions
Weather forecaster Meteo France said Savoie remained on orange avalanche alert for Tuesday and flagged an improvement in the coming days. The deaths come as France faces heavy snowfall in the Alps and flooding in several western regions after days of intense rain. Last Friday, three skiers died after being swept away in an avalanche in the French Alpine ski resort of Val d’Isere.
How are local authorities advising residents and visitors to manage avalanche risk in the affected areas?
