Tignes, France, Avalanche: 'Several Skiers' Buried, Local Authorities Say

No fatalities, authorities confirm.
A road sign is seen on the side of a mountain road after a snow fall in Tignes on January 15 this year
A road sign is seen on the side of a mountain road after a snow fall in Tignes on January 15 this year
Serge Mouraret via Getty Images

An avalanche struck the French ski resort of Tignes on Tuesday, just weeks after a deadly slip in the same town.

Initial reports said several skiers were buried under a mass of snow and ice. Authorities later confirmed nobody had been injured.

Pictures from the scene show chaotic scenes on a hillside.

Les gendarmes évacuent les derniers skieurs #Tignes pic.twitter.com/kYAKX5yp0b

— Raphael LEGENDRE (@LEGENRA) March 7, 2017

A #Tignes. A gauche, la RM et la piste ou s'est déroulée l'avalanche. A gauche, les skieurs derrière les filets de sécurité. pic.twitter.com/bDJTILJynd

— Raphael LEGENDRE (@LEGENRA) March 7, 2017

The risk of an avalanche at Tignes had been rated four out of five.

Last month, four people were killed in an avalanche at the same resort.

The town is a popular choice for British holidaymakers, particularly in ski season.

Tignes is a popular ski resort in south-eastern France, near Grenoble
Tignes is a popular ski resort in south-eastern France, near Grenoble
HuffPost / Google Maps

As the situation developed, a police spokesperson said several people were buried when the avalanche came down on a busy ski slope, Le Dauphine reported.

The incident occurred just after 10 am GMT.

Poor weather in the resort prevented the use of rescue helicopters.

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