By Xinhua
Ottawa : Ten people have been killed by avalanches across Canada so far this winter, making it the highest avalanche death rate in 25 years, experts said.
“This is the highest number of avalanche fatalities we’ve seen by this date. We have 10 so far this season and this is the most we’ve had by Jan 8,” said Cam Campbell from the Canadian Avalanche Centre Tuesday. The centre began taking records more than a quarter-century ago.
From 1978 to 2007, an average of 11 avalanche fatalities has occurred per year in Canada, the centre reports.
The latest victim was a 19-year-old Quebec man killed Monday in an avalanche in Banff National Park in Alberta, where another man managed to survive by grabbing on to a tree.
Police also confirmed Monday the body of a man found underneath the debris of an avalanche at the Big White ski resort in British Columbia was that of 21-year-old Australian skier Leigh Barnier.
Campbell said all 10 fatalities this season happened while individuals were participating in winter recreational activities, mostly in backcountry areas.
As to the reason for the increasing avalanches this season, Campbell explained that rainfall in early December followed by a cold snap caused an icy crust to form at a high altitude in the mountains of Western Canada.
The crust was then buried by snowfall, causing a weak and unstable layer to build on top of the initial crust.
The Canadian avalanche season generally lasts from November to April. However, Campbell cautioned that slides could occur as late as May or June.