Four people died and several more were injured in an avalanche that occurred this Sunday on the Armancette glacier in the Alps, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced.
The balance made by the Haute-Savoie authorities remains “provisional” and “the rescue is still taking place,” said the minister on the social network Twitter, around 2:15 p.m. local time (one hour less in Lisbon).
The official also addressed his “thoughts to the victims and their loved ones.”
The avalanche occurred around noon local time today on the Armancette glacier in Haute-Savoie, Darmanin said on Twitter.
Two helicopters and more than 20 rescuers were deployed to search the area.
The Public Ministry confirmed that four people died, one was injured and another eight were rescued unharmed.
The exact circumstances of the disaster have not yet been clarified.
“It will be up to the judicial investigation to determine” the causes of the event, said the Public Ministry.
The local newspaper ‘Le Dauphiné Libéré’ reported that the first alert was given around 11:27 local time in the municipality of Les Contamines-Montjoie, on the Armancette glacier, when a large avalanche 500 meters wide and more than 1,500 meters deep devastated the area, normally very crowded with people.
Source: TSF
