Five people have died in snow avalanches in Central Europe, officials reported on Friday, according to LETA citing DPA.
In the French Alps near the resort town of Val d'Isère, three skiers were killed. They were part of a group of six that was caught in an avalanche after leaving the ski slope with an instructor, local authorities reported.
The identities and nationalities of the deceased have not yet been established. The group had mandatory safety equipment, but they set out despite a warning of an increased risk of avalanches.
Due to a winter storm, an orange or red warning level for adverse weather conditions has been declared in many areas of southwestern France. Authorities warned that there is currently a high risk of avalanches.
In the town of Tignes, bordering Val d'Isère, a full nighttime curfew has been imposed.
In Switzerland, an avalanche covered three climbers near the village of Airolo in the canton of Ticino. Two of them died, while the third was unharmed.
In Slovakia, an avalanche buried a climber in the High Tatras. The mountain rescue service reported that a 32-year-old citizen of the Czech Republic was extracted alive but died during transport to the hospital by helicopter.
