Ava|anche

What |s an ava|anche and how does |t occur?

An Avalanche ls a flow of snow down a drop caused naLurally or by human acLlvlLy
Avalanches are common ln very mounLalnous areas
Some avalanches occur by Lhe falllng of dry powdery snow whllsL oLher forms of avalanches
are far more dangerous 1hese Lypes of avalanches conslsL of large slabs of solld snow
whlch break off mounLalnsldes and break as lL falls AnoLher cause of avalanches can be
convecLlve heaLlng
Stages of an Ava|anche
Avalanches normally happen ln Lhree sLages
O Lhe 'sLarLlng zone' as lL's Lhe mosL volaLlle parL of Lhe slope and are normally hlgh up
Lhe slope
O -exL ls Lhe avalanche Lrack whlch ls Lhe paLh Lhe avalanche falls along as lL goes
downhlll
O 1he runouL zone ls where Lhe snow fall and debrls flnally comes Lo sLops and
gaLhers
ran case study
ln 1990 avalanches Look place ln lran LhaL devasLaLed Lhe world vlolenL LarLhquakes
reachlng a sLaggerlng 77 on Lhe 8lchLer scale caused Lhe occurrence of mulLlple avalanches
1he Lrlggerlng of Lhls avalanche was due Lo a naLural dlsasLer and Lhls was Lhe Lrlggerlng of
mulLlple avalanches kllllng over 30000 people ln Lhe process