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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 20 February 2019

Avalanche hits skiers at Swiss resort; 4 rescued so far

By JAMEY KEATEN to verify whether or not rine Seppey said authorities
Associated Press people remain buried un- were investigating what
GENEVA (AP) — An after- der the avalanche. That’s triggered the avalanche,
noon avalanche swept up our main priority,” he said. citing weather conditions
skiers as it rumbled across “The second is to take care or skier behavior as possi-
a slope at a popular Swiss of the families of the injured bilities.
Alps ski resort, sparking a the best that we can.” Switzerland’s Institute for
hurried search that rescued Valais police spokesman Snow and Avalanche Re-
four people and extended Steve Leger explained later search had put the risk of
into the night for others by phone that police were an avalanche in the area
who might still be buried, not providing estimates of at level 2, which is relatively
authorities said. how many people might low on its 5-point scale.
Nearly 250 rescue work- be trapped under the Michele Vizzino, who man-
ers, medical team mem- snow. ages the La Violette restau-
bers, police officers and Earlier, local newspaper Le rant near the gondola that
military personnel backed Rescue crew work on the avalanche site, at the ski resort of Nouvelliste reported that runs up to the peak, said he
by eight helicopters and a Crans-Montana, Switzerland, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019. Crans-Montana Mayor heard the avalanche but
dozen search dogs were Associated Press Nicolas Feraud had said didn’t see it. Video from
deployed after the ava- rone of the Valais regional under the layer of snow. between 10 and 12 people the site showed skiers on
lanche on Plaine Morte, police said at a news brief- For that reason, we are were buried in the ava- the slopes above a trail of
a mountain in the town of ing. Three others were “su- continuing our search with lanche. But in a subsequent lumpy snow after the ava-
Crans-Montana, officials perficially” injured, Varone considerable means,” Va- email to The Associated lanche.
said. said. rone said. Press, Feraud said the situa- The avalanche comes
One person was in critical Roughly half of the 840-me- He did not elaborate or tion was evolving. ahead of a weekend
condition after being ex- ter-long (920-yard) ava- take questions from report- Resort operator CMA said women’s World Cup event
tracted from the chunky lanche made a direct hit ers. an alarm sounded shortly involving top skiers such as
snow that had spilled over across the ski slope, he said. “What’s important for the before 2:30 p.m., minutes Switzerland’s Lara Gut on
the Kandahar ski slope, “Witnesses told us other intervention teams is that after the avalanche hit. the Mont Lachaux run at
Commander Christian Va- people could be buried we do everything we can Valais prosecutor Cathe- Crans-Montana.q

EU official criticizes Hungary PM Orban for campaign posters

By RAF CASERT citizens about “Brussels’ tries; want to introduce
PABLO GORONDI plans to encourage immi- mandatory settlement quo-
Associated Press gration.” tas; want to reduce finan-
BRUSSELS (AP) — A top Eu- “Everyone has the right to cial assistance for countries
ropean Union official criti- know which are the cur- opposed to migration.”
cized Hungarian Prime Min- rent proposals fundamen- A post on the Hungarian
ister Viktor Orban on Tues- tally threatening Hungary’s government’s Facebook
day for election campaign safety,” the government page showed a similar
posters alleging that EU said. poster but with other claims
headquarters has purpose- In Hungary, posters have — “They want to introduce
ly weakened the bloc’s ex- gone up focusing on EU mandatory settlement quo-
ternal borders to let in more Commission President tas; they want to weaken
migrants. Jean-Claude Juncker and the border protection rights
Commission Vice President Hungarian-American finan- of the member states; they
Frans Timmermans said Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, left, and Israeli Prime cier George Soros. would facilitate immigra-
when it comes to spinning Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attend a press conference after According to the poster, EU tion with migrant visas.”
the truth in political cam- their meeting in Jerusalem, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019. leaders, who Orban says Timmermans said the EU
paigning “this is something Associated Press are carrying out instructions and Juncker were actu-
in a completely different says its new campaign — European Parliament elec- from Soros, “are launching ally at the forefront of re-
universe.” launched ahead of May’s tion — is meant to inform experimental immigration inforcing the EU’s external
The Hungarian government projects with African coun- borders.q