AVALANCHE DANGER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20864, 5 May 1931, Page 9

AVALANCHE DANGER.

FAMILY OVERWHELMED. HEAVY SNOW IN SWITZERLAND. The snowfall of the past winter in Switzerland lias been the heaviest, on record since 1888. On the' Great Saint Bernhard it measured 25ft.; on the Gotthard 16ft. The meteorological observatory on the Santis, a massive three-storey building, was buried in snow in February nearly up to the roof. Only with the utmost difficulty and the help of the "rotary" sweeping machine could the Gotthard line be kept open.

The Lotschberg line was blocked at the last February week-end by avalanches, and many of the mountain railways were unable to carry on. Andermatt was cut off by two avalanches blocking the Schollenen line, and Zermalt was cut off fiom the rest of the world for half a week. Many visitors weie thus prevented from leaving. The trains were creeping along between high walls of snow. Ski ing, which at the beginning of the season suffered from lack of snow, was rendered unpleasant and dangerous by the overwhelming masses. As the longer excursions could not be undertaken, there were not many accidents during February. The worst was that at Platta, a little hamlet on the Lukmanier Pass, where an avalanche buried the Hotel Post and killed seven of the 12 people in residence. Six belonged to the same family—father, mother, and four children. A similar accident happened in the neighbouring Tyrol, where a family of 6even was overwhelmed.

Grave apprehensions prevailed in many mountain valleys, and many people left their dwellings and herded together in safe places.