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Seven people died after being hit by an avalanche on Saturday on a mountain in Toyama Prefecture, local police said. One other person is missing.
The seven -- four men and three women -- were climbing or skiing when the avalanche, an estimated 30 meters wide and 600 meters long, hit on a western slope of the 2,860-meter-high Mt Masago, police said.
They were taken to hospital by helicopter but were confirmed dead, police said.
A local police officer said rescuers were continuing the search as it was not clear if there were any other people on the mountain at the time of the avalanche.
© (c) 2013 AFP
11 Comments
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Dukeleto
RIP!
TokyoGas
Sad story.
Carcharodon
too much snow, accumulated too quickly and so soon at the start of season, created treacherous conditions, Damn, 7 people snuffed out doing what they loved.
Mariam Tebourbi
so sad! R.I.P!
Carcharodon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSGPmVquYqU
this is the avalanche debris cloud.
Novenachama
The most simplistic way of avoiding getting caught in an avalanche is to recognize where one is most likely to occur. If you understand that there is a high possibility of an avalanche, you are less likely to fall victim to the surprise occurrence of one. This can be accomplished by understanding how the path of an avalanche appears. Most avalanche path are obvious, appearing as an open slope, bowl or gully shape. Other common giveaways are bent or damaged trees. You should also remember that loud noises do not usually cause avalanches and the pressure of someone or something making the noise that usually causes.
Elbuda Mexicano
Better yet, just stay away from these places with TOO much snow!! Why do these idiot fools insist on putting themselves in harm's way??Happens every year!! Just like clock work! You mess around with mother nature and it wont be oretty!! Now they are dead and we are supposed to feel sad and sorry?? No, more like angry at these stupid people!!
nath
^^ Ignorant response ^^
Every day of your life you put yourself in harm's way.
Apparently this was a size 3 avalanche with could bury/destroy a car, damage a truck, destroy a timber frame house, break trees. Terrifying way to go. RIP.
Dennis Bauer
RIP these people, i wonder if the local government does preventive measures like setting of avalanches and give warnings, nothing of this in the news.
Elbuda Mexicano
Do we really need the government to help us have a bit of common sense???? If you aint got no commin sense?? Guess what?? Yuo!! You deserve what you get and in this case these people go mucking around on some mountains in the middle of winter! Maybe the govermnt should close off these places to prevent idiot fools from wasting our money in search and rescue. This time, not much to rescue. So if you all wanna be foolish, muck around in the cold, get lost and end up freezing to death don't expect much sympathy from others!!!
Serrano
Never go near a mountain if there's snow on it.