Avalanche slams into occupied three-story apartment building in Olympic Valley
OLYMPIC VALLEY -- Tons of snow roared into an occupied three-story apartment building in Olympic Valley near the Palisades Tahoe ski resort Tuesday evening, forcing evacuations of nearby dwellings.
According to a Placer County sheriff's office Facebook post, the avalanche struck around 7 p.m. and was 200 yards wide and 25 feet deep.
It engulfed the bottom two stories of the three-story building. Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of injuries or missing residents. All occupants were able to evacuate the building with help from fire crews.
"There were approximately 100 residences affected by Tuesday evening's avalanche and fortunately, everyone has been accounted for and is uninjured," the sheriff posted on Facebook. "Four of the 70 units at the condo complex on Shirley Canyon Road were evacuated as a result of the avalanche."
The sheriff's office said that due to the heightened avalanche risk, several additional areas were evacuated:
- Shirley Canyon Rd to Granite Chief Rd.
- Granite Chief Rd.
- Sandy Way from Wayne Rd. to Navajo Ct.
- Summit Peak Rd.
- Summer Place
The homes are at the base of Palisades Tahoe, which was closed Tuesday because of heavy snow and the threat of an avalanche.
Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue crews assisted with evacuation efforts and used their K-9s to search for additional potential victims.
"At this time there is no indication anyone else was caught in the path of the avalanche," the sheriff department said.
An evacuation center has been opened at the Community Recreation Center on 10981 Truckee Way, in Truckee.
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The brunt of a fierce winter storm front began moving eastward early Wednesday, but as it exited it left behind as much as 4 feet of new snow, towering snow drifts, fallen trees and the sub-zero temperatures added a layer of ice to roadway.
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While the blizzard conditions shut down I-80, it also added to the amazing seasonal snow totals at the local ski resorts. Palisades Tahoe reported it had gotten 56 inches over the last 72 hours while 52 inches fell at Boreal.
Tuesday's blizzard conditions and high winds also heightened the chances of a deadly avalanche occurring.
The weather service had issued an avalanche warning for the region, saying "any steep slope could be dangerous."
