GENEVA, Switzerland: An avalanche at a Switzerland ski resort swept away at least three people on Monday, according to the media.
The incident took place at the top Swiss ski resort of Zermatt and authorities warned of the risk of more disasters amid snowfall and heavy winds.
Police in the Valais canton in southern Switzerland took to X to state that the avalanche hit on an off-piste sector of the Riffelberg district of Zermatt. The announcement further said that several people were swept away while searches are underway.
A police spokesman also later confirmed the incident and the three missing persons to the Keystone-ATS news agency, adding rescuers were digging through snow despite the bad weather.
Very strong winds and heavy snowfall had prompted authorities to warn of a major avalanche risk in the southern Swiss Alps.
The risk was considered especially high in both popular ski destinations, the Grisons and Valais cantons.
The Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) warned that very large, and in some cases extremely large, spontaneous avalanches are to be expected.
Before today’s incident, 14 people had died in 12 such accidents in the country so far this season, the SLF said. Most of the victims were cross-country skiers.
