The Blons avalanches in Austria

Austria

Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...

 was one of the worst mass burials by avalanche

Avalanche

An avalanche is a sudden rapid flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers or human activity causes a critical escalating transition from the slow equilibrium evolution of the snow pack. Typically occurring in mountainous terrain, an avalanche can mix air and water with the...

 in recorded history. This happened on February 10 and February 11.

The small village of Blons

Blons

Blons is a municipality in the district of Bludenz in Vorarlberg, Austria.-References:...

 near Bludenz

Bludenz

Bludenz is a town in the state of Vorarlberg in Austria. The town, surrounded by mountains, lies at the meeting point of five different valleys: The Klostertal, The Montafon, The Walgau, The Brandnertal, The Groß Walsertal....

, Vorarlberg

Vorarlberg

Vorarlberg is the westernmost federal-state of Austria. Although it is the second smallest in terms of area and population , it borders three countries: Germany , Switzerland and Liechtenstein...

 in the Austrian Alps

Alps

The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....

was hit by an avalanche at 9:36 a.m. on 12 January 1954. A second avalanche hit the village at 7 p.m. as rescue workers attempted to dig out the 118 persons buried by the first avalanche. The village had a population of 365 people, of whom 57 were killed and 22 injured. 2 bodies were never found. 29 of the 90 buildings in the village were destroyed.