Caught on camera: the moment an avalanche hit a ski resort in France
Terrifying footage, filmed on a mobile phone, captures the moment an avalanche hit the popular Tignes ski resort in the French Alps. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.
On Tuesday evening, tonnes of snow came cascading down a mountain and blanketed a number of vehicles, part of a road and an entire tunnel.
A video posted on Facebook by
Baptiste Chassang captures the snow crashing down the mountain. At first, Mr Chassang appears to be at a safe distance from the avalanche. For a few seconds, the wave of snow disappears from sight - leaving the viewer with a misplaced sense of relief. But then the snow comes thundering past some trees with great speed and completely covers a tunnel, not far from where Mr Chassang is, with snow. The force with which the snow is pummeling down and the sheer amount of the white stuff sends people and emergency crew waiting on the road running for their lives.
A number of vehicles parked on the road by the tunnel disappear completely under a blanket of snow.
Watch the incredibe footage below:
Local media reports suggest that the avalanche was likely triggered intentionally. In areas that are popular with skiers, controlled avalanches are sometimes triggered to get rid of a dangerous build-up of snow.Click for more
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