ROME, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Three people were killed and several others injured after a series of avalanches struck the Italian Alps on Friday, local rescue services said.
One fatal incident occurred in Val Maira in the northwest Piedmont region, where an avalanche at an altitude of over 2,300 meters engulfed a German couple. A 50-year-old woman was killed, while her partner was hospitalized in critical condition, according to Italian media.
Another deadly avalanche was reported in the Vajo Gabene area of Vicenza province in the northeast Veneto region, where a 50-year-old Italian ski mountaineer lost his life, Ansa news agency said.
Several other avalanche incidents were reported in Piedmont on Friday, injuring multiple people, including foreign nationals, according to local rescue teams. All the injured were rescued and taken to nearby hospitals.
Authorities warned that heavy snowfall over the Christmas period, followed by rising temperatures, has significantly increased avalanche risks. A level-3 avalanche alert, on a five-tier scale, remains in effect in parts of the Piedmont region, urging ski mountaineers to exercise caution.
