Deadly avalanche strikes Italy’s Piedmont region

Heavy rainfall, snow, and strong winds have battered most of Italy over the past couple of days, culminating in a deadly snow avalanche in the Formazza Valley of the Piedmont region.

Italy has been engulfed by severe weather over the past few days, with heavy rainfall, snow, and strong winds causing widespread disruptions and damage. The conditions led to a tragic avalanche in the Formazza Valley (Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province, north-eastern Piedmont Region) on January 7, claiming the lives of two individuals.

The avalanche struck at a height of approximately 2.2 km (7 200 feet) in the Val Formazza area, a known spot for its scenic beauty and mountainous terrain.

CNSAS, an Alpine rescue group, reported that one body was found buried under the snow, while the other was recovered from a nearby lake following the avalanche. Despite challenging weather conditions and strong winds, a specialist rescue team, assisted by a trained dog, was dispatched to the scene by helicopter.

The victims were identified as a 30-year-old woman and a 53-year-old man, both from the Lombardy region in northern Italy. They had been navigating the mountainous terrain with the help of snowshoes at the time of the incident.

The weather forecast indicates that moderate snow will continue to affect parts of Piedmont, while moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to sweep across most of southern Italy, particularly in Sardinia and Sicily over the next 24 hours.

These regions are under orange warnings due to the forecasted strong winds, urging residents and visitors to exercise caution and stay updated on the latest weather alerts.

References:

¹ Two Italian hikers killed after avalanche in Alps – Reuters – January 7, 2024

Featured image credit: Vigili del Fuoco