Two people were killed and seven others injured in a powerful avalanche on the slopes of Hohe Ferse mountain near Ratschings, South Tyrol, at an altitude of 2,400 meters. The event occurred Saturday morning on a busy off-piste route.
The avalanche, measuring 150 meters wide and hundreds of meters long, caught 25 skiers. Most of the survivors sustained only minor injuries or were grazed by the snow. A large-scale rescue operation involving six helicopters, 80 personnel, and sniffer dogs was deployed.
European Avalanche Warning Services report an alarming rise in avalanches this season, linked to unstable snowpacks and heavy storms. Climate change is cited as a contributing factor. The danger level in the Ridanna Valley remains moderate.