St.-Julian-Monton-Denis: On their way to help rescue efforts, two people were found dead after a spring storm in Northern Italy and dumped more than one meter in other areas of Alps, dumping the ski areas, stopped transport and killed at least another person.
The storm closed the roads, stopped trains and cut electricity in areas in France, Italy and Switzerland.
Although the snow in April is not rare in the Alps mountain range, the amount falling in a few hours was unusual and surprised the authorities and inhabitants.
In Italy, the bodies of a 64 -year -old man and his 33 -year -old son were found near Visenza in the Vinician area, leading to three parts of death in three.
The pair voluntarily worked voluntarily to help in helping rescue efforts after heavy rains in the north of the country and were on their way when their car was called “unimaginable tragedy” by Luka Zia, head of the region.
The previous day, a 92 -year -old man was found dead in his flooded house in the North Pidmont area, said the fire brigade.
The official said that “acute and abundant” rains turned to snow above a height of 1,800 meters (5,905 ft) north of Italy.
Officials said that at the French resort in Val Thores, a woman suffered a heart attack after an avalanche was buried.
And in Tignes, the authorities ordered the residents to stay indoors after more than 1.1 meters (three and a half feet).
“All cars are covered up to the roof … just walking out is worrying,” said Mathis, a hotel worker in Tignes.
Avalanche risk Many areas had reached its maximum level, closing many ski areas.
In Swiss city Sion, 36,000 people were also asked to stay at home.
“In such a short time, it is a large amount of (ice),” said a retired cross-country ski instructor Yan Geudri in the French village of Terminon, which was concerned about the risk of floods when the snow melts in the spring sun.
Several roads in all three countries were closed due to falling trees or risks of avalanche.
Heavy trucks were banned from using the main Mont blank tunnel between France and Italy and dozens, which could not be found through tunnels, stuck on the A43 highway connecting Italy and France.
According to officials, trains were also affected, and at one point more than 3,300 houses in France and 5,000 houses in Italy were left without electricity.
“It’s really extraordinary,” Didier Beuchet said, a retiring, who has been in Laminberg in Savoi for 40 years.
“I must have seen that only five times,” he told AFP, as motorists around them worked to free their snow -covered cars.
