Strong avalanche at Bâlea Lac, in the Făgăraș Mountains. 2 tourist tents, buried in snow

High risk of avalanche in Retezat and Parâng.

By Romania Journal Last updated Feb 15, 2024

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A large avalanche occurred in the Bâlea Lac tourist area, at an altitude of over 2,000 meters in the Făgăraş Mountains, announced Salvamont Sibiu. And mountain rescuers from Hunedoara County warned on Thursday of the major avalanche risk in the Retezat and Parâng massifs, at altitudes of over 1,500 meters, after it snowed a lot in the last two days.

According to the quoted source, two tents of some tourists were buried in the snow, but there are no victims. At the time of the avalanche, there was no one in the tents, the tourists being inside a chalet.

The avalanche risk is still high, grade 4 out of 5, at Bâlea Lac, where the snow layer has increased to 1.7 meters, and Salvomont Sibiu does not recommend practicing winter sports in the area.

And the mountain rescuers from Hunedoara county warned, on Thursday, of the major risk of avalanches in the Retezat and Parâng massifs, at altitudes of over 1,500 meters, after it snowed a lot in the last two days, and the newly deposited layer of snow had no respite required for sedimentation.

“It snowed a lot, in a short time, so that the new layer of snow deposited measures between 50 and 80 centimeters. The avalanche risk is major, especially in the area of steep slopes or in places with large surfaces, because there is no necessary cohesion between the layers of snow. A few more days are needed until this will be achieved”, Ovidiu Bodean, head of the Salvamont Hunedoara County Public Service, stated.

According to him, the thickness of the snow layer now exceeds one meter and can reach over two meters on the valleys or valleys, where the snow was brought by the wind.

Due to the instability of the snow cover, tourists are advised to avoid areas with high snow loads and routes on contour lines.

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