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Drastic drop in number of avalanche victims in Switzerland: report

Xinhua, May 3, 2017 Adjust font size:

The Swiss Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) reported Wednesday that seven people lost their lives in avalanches over the 2016/17 winter season, down from an average of 20 deaths usually recorded in Switzerland by this time of the year.

Representing a 65 percent drop, figures revealed that five of the recorded fatalities were backcountry ski tourers, while two were free riders.

SLF indicated that for the first time in nine winters, none of the avalanches claimed more than one life, a factor which helps explain the significantly lower amount of avalanche-related deaths this winter.

The Swiss Institute added however that a number of people were "presumably saved simply by good fortune," given that a total of 148 individuals were caught in avalanches this winter season.

According to SLF, the lack of snow meant that the risk of avalanches occurring was lower than usual, with danger level 1 (low) being forecast almost twice as frequently as the average over the last decade. Endit