The rare spring snow in the Alps kills one, there are thousands of people in France, Italy and Switzerland
A powerful and rare spring snow kills Alps On Thursday, dumping more than one meter of ice in a few hours and causing widespread disruption in France, Italy and Switzerland. Officials of the three countries urged to close the roads, cancel the trains and stay inside the house.
At least one death has been reported. In the Pidamont region of Italy, firefighters found the body of a 92 -year -old man inside his flooded house. At the French Resort of Wal Thorrance, a woman went into a cardiac arrest after being caught in an avalanche.
In France, resorts such as Tignes and Wal Thores were temporarily closed due to high avalanche risk. In Tignes, more than 1.1 meters of snow fell overnight, motivating the authorities to order a lockdown. “All cars are covered to the roof,” said an employee of the hotel. “Just walking out is worrying.”
Similar scenes were reported in Sion, Switzerland, where all 36,000 residents were asked to stay at home. Roads were closed in many areas due to fallen trees and hazards of avalanche. A major route between France and Italy, Mont Blanc Tunnel was closed for heavy trucks, leaving traffic jams and dozens of lories on the A43 highway.
The trains were also canceled, and about 3,300 houses in the Savoy region of France lost electricity. In Milan, the parks were closed due to floods and strong winds.
While ice is not uncommon in April, the amount and intensity of this storm became many surprises. Retired ski instructor Yan Gudri told the news agency AFP that once the sun returns, the melting of ice could flood the lower areas.
