AVALANCHES

(SNOWSLIDES)
Overview
1. Definiton of an avalanche
2.How does an avalanche occur ?
3. Some interesting things you didnt know about
avalanches
4. How are we able to trigger one avalanche ?
5. Four steps on how to survive an avalanche ?
6. Two biggest avalanches in modern history

Literature


What is an avalnache ?
An avalnache occurs when
masses of snow, often with
ice and debrits, slide down
mountain sides.

1. Avalanches have killed 165 climbers in the
United States since the winter of 1950. Slides
also killed 212 snowmobilers including 291
skiers, and 56 snowboarders during the same
decade, according to statistics published by the
Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
2. If a victim can be rescued within first18
minutes, the survival rate is greater than 91
percent. The survival rate drops to 34 percent in
burials between 19 and 35 minutes.
The answer is NO !

Avalnaches are caused by 3 factors : a) a sleep slope
b) snow cover
c) a weak layer in the snow
cover

How to survive an avalnache ?


Here are 4 very usefull tips of how to survive an
avalanche...
Tip no. 1 :
Move to the side of the avalnache, it is very
important not to hesitate, move as quickly as
possible to the side of the avalnache slop
Tip no. 2 :
Let go of your heavy equipment everything except
your basic survival equipment,such as transceiver
and snow shovel because you need them if you get
buried
Tip no. 3 :
Hold on to something if you are unable to escape
the avalnache, you should try to grab a tree, because
if you do so it increses your chance of not being
buried
Tip no. 4 :
Dig a pocket around your face use your free hand
to dig an air pocket near your nose and mouth. This
will supply you with enough air to last at least for 30
minutes.
2 Biggest avalanches in modern history


1. 1970. Yungay off the coast of Peru on Mt.
Huascaran
2. 1916. Tyrolean alps
1970. Mt. Huascaran

This event accoured on 31 May when the earthquake
caused Mt. Huascaran (situated in the Cordillera Blanca,
the world's highest tropical mountain range), to collapse.

The avalnache moved down hill at a speed of 100 mph
with a mass of 80 million cubic feet of ice, mud and rock.
It ran nearly 11 miles, burying the towns of Yungay and
Ranrahirca.
Estimate suggest that the avalanche killed over 20.000
people.
1916. Tyrolean alps

Over a 24 hour period during WW I, Austrian and
Italian forces died in a series of avalanches caused by
a mixture of heavy snowfall and man-made
explosives. This avalnache caused 10.000 casualties.

Up to 1918 mountainsides were bombed, resulting in
an additional 40.000 deaths.
List of literature :
https://sites.google.com/site/thebiggestavalancheev
er/
http://worldnews.about.com/od/disasters/tp/World
s-Worst-Avalanches.htm
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2011/12/14/how-
to-survive-an-avalanche/