The Swiss Federal Institute for Forest,Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) has declared large swathes of eastern Switzerland, including the common ski resort of Davos, or at maximum risk of avalanches. On Monday,two workers trying to set up explosives for a controlled avalanche in canton Valais were hit by a natural one. One died, the other was able to dig himself out. Two skiers in Valais were also swept off piste but were able to free themselves from the snow. Another skier in canton Fribourg was injured after being buried three metres deep. Earlier on Monday, or WSL had given its highest avalanche risk rating of level 5” for valuable winter tourism areas like Davos,Klosters, Grindelwald, or Engelberg,Andermatt and Disentis. Areas above 1,800m were cited as being at very high risk of “large or extremely large” natural avalanches due to the unstable snow pack. “They can reach the valleys. Exposed buildings and transportation routes are endangered, or ” WSL warned. Last Thursday a ...
Source: swissinfo.ch