Avalanche nearly buries mountain workers in the French resort of Tignes
Dramatic footage has emerged showing a group of mountain workers fleeing as a huge avalanche crashes over the road they are on in the French ski resort of Tignes.
The avalanche covered a bridge and vehicles on the main road, the D87A, between Tignes Le Lac and Tignes 1800.
On Tuesday the resort took to Twitter to inform visitors that the road, which is the only way in and out of the two highest satellite villages of Tignes Le Lac and Tignes Val Claret, would be closed until further notice.
“At the moment and like during all winter, the ski patrol trigger avalanches almost every day before the opening of the ski resort and after the closing to ensure the security of guests,” said Marion Lapouble from the resort’s press office.
It is thought the slide in the video had been triggered intentionally. This process is a precautionary measure taken by authorities to secure roads and surrounding areas from avalanches, which may occur on the steep slopes above.
“It’s been a very difficult time for weather forecasters and piste patrol services in keeping roads and pistes safe in the Alps,” said avalanche expert Henry Schneiwind from Henry’s Avalanche Talk in his latest safety report for The Telegraph.
“Plenty of these have had to be closed to the public, especially in warmer afternoons, for fear of glide cracks or other avalanches coming down.”
Ski resorts in the Alps, across France, Austria, Italy and Switzerland, have all seen a season of extreme weather conditions. In January we reported from Tignes when the ski area was shut due to the high avalanche risk. Many resorts now boast record-breaking snow depth, despite the fact that the majority are now either closed or are due to close for the winter soon.
“The avalanche danger ratings have been set at three, rising to four at times, indicating the problem these potentially large avalanches present to the authorities,” continued Schneiwind.
A danger rating of three means there is a considerable risk, with unstable slaps probable. When the level rises to four the risk is set to high, when avalanches are likely.
Last year the resort made headlines when four snowboarders were killed in an avalanche that occurred on an off-piste slope within sight of hotels and a short distance from a beginner-standard green run. At the time the risk was set to three.
The forecast for the resort over the next week is mixed, with more snowfall predicted.
“The snow that’s forecast over the next week, along with the minimal refreezing that is currently occuring and the above freezing temperatures at 2,000m, will increase avalanche activity in Northern French Alps,” said Schneiwind.
No one was hurt in the avalanche captured in this video and the road is now open, but it acts as a warning to both visitors and locals of the danger that being in the mountains can sometimes involve.
Tignes is one of the last resorts to shut each season due to its high altitude at 2,100m and access to the Grand Motte glacier at 3,100m where snow is almost guaranteed – this year the resort closes on May 6. “The conditions are looking good for the end of the season, with an excellent snow depth on the slopes,” said Lapouble.
