Eight backcountry skiers found dead, 1 still missing after California avalanche
Nevada City (AP): Eight backcountry skiers have been found dead and one remains missing after an avalanche near Lake Tahoe in California, officials said Wednesday, making it the deadliest avalanche in the US in more than four decades.
Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said during a news conference that authorities have told the families the mission has moved from rescue to recovery. It is the deadliest avalanche in the US since 1981, when 11 climbers were killed on Mount Rainier, Washington.
Crews have faced treacherous conditions in their search for the missing skiers since the avalanche struck Tuesday morning. Search and rescue crews were dispatched to the Castle Peak area of the Sierra Nevada after a 911 call reporting the avalanche had buried 15 skiers.
Six of them have been found alive.
The group was on a three-day trek in Northern California's Sierra Nevada as a monster winter storm pummelled the West Coast.
Two of those rescued after several hours of searching were taken to a hospital for treatment, said Ashley Quadros, a spokesperson for the Nevada County Sheriff's Office. Heavy snow and the threat of additional avalanches slowed the rescue effort in the mountains near Castle Peak, northwest of Lake Tahoe.
The area near Donner Summit is one of the snowiest places in the Western Hemisphere and until just a few years ago was closed to the public. It sees an average of nearly 35 feet of snow a year, according to the Truckee Donner Land Trust, which owns a cluster of huts where the group was staying near Frog Lake.
The Sierra Avalanche Center warned Wednesday that the risk of avalanche remains high and advised against travel in the area. Multiple feet of snowfall and gale force winds in recent days left the snowpack unstable and unpredictable, and more snow was predicted to fall, the centre said.
Nevada County Sheriff Capt. Russell Greene said authorities were notified about the avalanche by Blackbird Mountain Guides, which was leading the expedition, and the skiers' emergency beacons. The sheriff's office said Tuesday night that 15 backcountry skiers had been on the trip, not 16 as initially believed.
The skiers were on the last day of a backcountry skiing trip and had spent two nights in the huts, said Steve Reynaud, an avalanche forecaster with the Sierra Avalanche Center. He said the area requires navigating rugged mountainous terrain. All food and supplies need to be carried to the huts.
Reaching the huts in winter takes several hours and requires backcountry skills, avalanche training and safety equipment, the land trust says on its website.
Blackbird Mountain Guides said in a statement said the group, including four guides, was returning to the trailhead when the avalanche occurred.
“Our thoughts are with the missing individuals, their families, and first responders in the field,” Blackbird said in a statement Wednesday. The company said it is helping authorities in the search.
Several Tahoe ski resorts had been fully or partially closed due to the weather. Resorts, which use controlled explosions and barriers to manage avalanche threats, were not expected to be at as high of a risk as the backcountry, the centre said.
The area near Donner Summit was closed for nearly a century before the land trust and its partners in 2020 acquired Frog Lake, which is framed by 1,000-foot-high cliffs. Donner Summit is named for the infamous Donner Party, a group of pioneers who resorted to cannibalism after getting trapped there in the winter of 1846-1847.
In January, an avalanche in the region buried a snowmobiler and killed him, authorities said. Each winter, 25 to 30 people die in avalanches in the U.S., according to the National Avalanche Center.
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IOCL actively strengthens auto LPG distribution in Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): IOCL on Sunday said it is actively strengthening Auto LPG distribution across its network in Karnataka to address the surge in demand arising from the ongoing geopolitical situation.
The company, however, highlighted that infrastructure limitations—including a limited number of Auto LPG Dispensing Stations (ALDS), constrained dispensing capacity, and operational challenges—are making it difficult to fully offset the supply gap caused by the closure of private Auto LPG outlets.
Bengaluru and several other parts of the state are witnessing disruptions in auto-rickshaw services due to a shortage of Auto LPG.
Long queues of autos have been seen outside fuel stations at many locations, with drivers waiting for hours for supplies.
“In Karnataka, Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) collectively operate 72 ALDS, with Indian Oil Corporation accounting for 55 of these outlets. In comparison, over 300 ALDS were operated by private players; however, nearly 80 per cent of these private stations have become non-operational due to prevailing geopolitical challenges,” Indian Oil Corporation Limited said in a release.
Stating that IOCL has significantly scaled up its supply in Karnataka with the support of the Government of India, the company said its average daily supply, which stood at approximately 43.5 MT per day in February, increased to 59.53 MT per day in March and has been further ramped up to 68.53 MT per day with effect from April 4.
“Despite these efforts, infrastructure limitations—including a limited number of ALDS, constrained dispensing capacity, and operational challenges—make it difficult to fully offset the supply gap caused by the closure of private Auto LPG outlets,” it added.
Highlighting that pricing disparities are influencing consumer behaviour, the company said PSU-operated outlets, including those of IOCL, are retailing Auto LPG at Rs 89.52 per litre in Bengaluru, whereas private marketers are selling it between Rs 99 and Rs 105 per litre.
This difference has led to a significant shift in customer preference towards PSU-operated ALDS, resulting in increased footfall and longer waiting times at these stations, it said.
It also noted that approximately 70 per cent of the auto-rickshaw fleet is equipped with dual-fuel capability, allowing operation on both Auto LPG and petrol.
“In light of the current situation, users are encouraged to temporarily switch to petrol as an alternative fuel. Similar transitions have already been observed in markets such as Puttur and other areas where OMC-operated ALDS are limited, demonstrating the practicality of this approach,” the release said.
While Auto LPG continues to remain available across the OMC network, IOCL said that in case of longer waiting times, customers are encouraged to utilise the dual-fuel capability of their vehicles and switch to petrol to ensure uninterrupted mobility.
Indian Oil Corporation Limited remains committed to ensuring fuel availability and supporting customers during this period of heightened demand, it added.
