A second avalanche in a month hit the French Alps town of Tignes on Tuesday, several skiers were thrown off course but there were “no victims,” a spokesperson for the Savoie Department Prefecture told CNN.
The avalanche happened in the off-piste area of Grand Balme at 9.50am, according to local authorities. Skiers were helped away from the scene by resort staff.
“Swallowed”
People at the resort who said they witnessed the avalanche posted accounts of the dramatic event on social media.
“We were with our guide in powder snow about to go back on the blue run when it wiped the blue run out,” Susan Hughes posted on Facebook.
“It just swallowed everyone. We had to dig to try and find people,” Hughes added.
“I was submerged in the avalanche in #tignes this morning while on the slope,” Violette Verite said on Twitter. “Single scariest moment of my life,” she posted.
Risk
A statement from Tignes Town Hall confirmed that the ski area remained open, albeit with restrictions. It also added that the avalanche risk was ranked as 4/5.
Tignes, which is located in South Eastern France, is close to the Italian border.
Four people died at the resort after being hit by an avalanche on February 13.
The four men were in an off-piste area when the avalanche buried them, crashing down on an area around 300 meters across.