Italy's Alpine rescue service on Monday called for "maximum caution" after avalanches have claimed 11 lives in the space of seven days, warning that exceptionally unstable snow conditions now threaten large swathes of the Alpine range.
The most recent fatality was a 70-year-old hiker discovered overnight in the Veneto region, which is one of the areas hosting the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics taking place from February 6-22. Rescue authorities said that the risk of avalanches is present across most of the Alps, stretching from the western to the eastern sectors of the mountain chain.
Rescuers highlighted that recent snowfall has accumulated on older, unstable layers within the snowpack. In such a configuration, even the movement of a single skier can be sufficient to trigger an avalanche. The service stressed that these conditions make it difficult - even for expert off-piste skiers - to identify genuinely safe routes.
In a formal statement, the rescue service urged anyone entering snowy terrain to take several precautions. They recommended carefully studying the official avalanche bulletins, planning routes with conservative assumptions about safety, and ensuring all members of a party carry standard rescue equipment. As an additional precaution, rescue authorities suggested that people consider postponing outings until the snowpack has stabilised naturally.
The guidance aims to reduce further loss of life amid a period of pronounced avalanche hazard. By repeating familiar safety measures - consult bulletins, plan conservatively, carry equipment, and delay trips if necessary - rescuers say the public can better manage the elevated risks posed by the current snow conditions.