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© Shutterstock
0 / 28 Fotos
Wellington avalanche - Wellington was a small railroad community in the US state of Washington. In 1910, the town was battered by the Wellington avalanche.
© Public Domain
1 / 28 Fotos
Wellington avalanche - Trains were trapped under the snow, and the death count is estimated to be around 96.
© Public Domain
2 / 28 Fotos
Ōmi Train avalanche in 1922 - The 1922 Ōmi Train avalanche was a devastating natural disaster that claimed the lives of nearly 100 people.
© Public Domain
3 / 28 Fotos
Ōmi Train avalanche in 1922 - An avalanche hit the railway line between Hokuriku and Qinhai, derailing a train. It's one of Japan's worst ever natural disasters.
© Public Domain
4 / 28 Fotos
Kohistan avalanche in 2010 - There were a series of avalanches that devastated the world in 2010. One occurred in Kohistan, Pakistan.
© Reuters
5 / 28 Fotos
Kohistan avalanche in 2010
- The village of Bagaro Serai was struck by one particularly horrible avalanche that killed over 100 people.
© Getty Images
6 / 28 Fotos
Saint-Martin et Chèze avalanche - Way back in the 17th century, this area in France's Hautes-Pyrénées was hit with a ruinous avalanche.
© Shutterstock
7 / 28 Fotos
Saint-Martin et Chèze avalanche - It's estimated that 107 people were killed as a result of this avalanche that occurred in 1600.
© Shutterstock
8 / 28 Fotos
Kolka-Karmadon rock ice slide - This disaster took place around Mount Kazbek in September 2002. It occurred after the collapse of the Kolka Glacier.
© Shutterstock
9 / 28 Fotos
Kolka-Karmadon rock ice slide - The ice slide heavily impacted the Genaldon and Karmadon vallies. Around 125 people died because of the disaster, including a film crew of 27 people.
© Public Domain
10 / 28 Fotos
Gayari Sector avalanche in 2012 - This avalanche hit a Pakistani military base in the nation's Gayari Sector.
© Reuters
11 / 28 Fotos
Gayari Sector avalanche in 2012 - The avalanche trapped 140 soldiers and civilian contractors under the snow. No one made it out alive.
© Reuters
12 / 28 Fotos
Mitsumata village avalanche in 1918 - In the early 20th century, an avalanche wreaked havoc on the village of Mitsumata in Japan. In 1918, an avalanche assaulted the village, destroying over 30 houses and killing 158 people.
© Reuters
13 / 28 Fotos
Salang avalanches in 2010 - In 2010, a series of at least 36 avalanches hit the Salang tunnel in Kabul, Afghanistan.
© Reuters
14 / 28 Fotos
Salang avalanches in 2010
- Around 171 people died in the disaster, which was caused by a freak storm in the Hindu Kush mountains.
© Getty Images
15 / 28 Fotos
Lahaul Valley avalanche - In 1979, India was hit with a series of destructive avalanches.
© Shutterstock
16 / 28 Fotos
Lahaul Valley avalanche - Lahaul Valley was buried by multiple avalanches. It's thought that around 200 people died in the disasters.
© Shutterstock
17 / 28 Fotos
Afghanistan avalanches in 2012 - Afghanistan was ravaged by three avalanches back in March 2012. The avalanches struck the region of Badakhshan.
© Reuters
18 / 28 Fotos
Afghanistan avalanches in 2012 - Over 200 people were confirmed to have died.
© Reuters
19 / 28 Fotos
White Friday - White Friday was a day that shook Italy during WWI. An avalanche occurred at Mount Marmolada, striking an Austrian barracks on the mountain ridge.
© Shutterstock
20 / 28 Fotos
White Friday - It's estimated that around 10.000 soldiers were killed in the avalanche. Historians think that both Italian and Austrian soldiers fired shells at the mountain, trying to trigger an avalanche to destroy the other side.
© Shutterstock
21 / 28 Fotos
Afghanistan avalanches in 2015 - The worst avalanches in recent history occurred in 2015. A total of 40 avalanches struck the Panjshir Province, devastating the region.
© Reuters
22 / 28 Fotos
Afghanistan avalanches in 2015 - At least 310 people were killed in the avalanches. It was the worst disaster of this kind in three decades.
© Reuters
23 / 28 Fotos
Huascarán avalanche in 1962 - Back in 1962, Peru was struck with a chaotic avalanche from Huascarán mountain. Nine towns and several villages were destroyed by the natural disaster.
© Shutterstock
24 / 28 Fotos
Huascarán avalanche in 1962 - Over 4,000 people were killed by the avalanche. The disaster was caused by a giant glacier that suddenly broke apart and fell down the mountainside.
© Shutterstock
25 / 28 Fotos
Huascarán avalanche in 1970 - Peru doesn't have any luck when it comes to natural disasters. The world's worst avalanche occurred there way back in 1970.
© Shutterstock
26 / 28 Fotos
Huascarán avalanche in 1970
- Triggered by the Ancash earthquake, the 1970 Huascarán avalanche was devastating. The death toll was estimated to be around 20,000. See also: Snowstorms surprises: a timeline of America’s worst blizzards
© Shutterstock
27 / 28 Fotos
© Shutterstock
0 / 28 Fotos
Wellington avalanche - Wellington was a small railroad community in the US state of Washington. In 1910, the town was battered by the Wellington avalanche.
© Public Domain
1 / 28 Fotos
Wellington avalanche - Trains were trapped under the snow, and the death count is estimated to be around 96.
© Public Domain
2 / 28 Fotos
Ōmi Train avalanche in 1922 - The 1922 Ōmi Train avalanche was a devastating natural disaster that claimed the lives of nearly 100 people.
© Public Domain
3 / 28 Fotos
Ōmi Train avalanche in 1922 - An avalanche hit the railway line between Hokuriku and Qinhai, derailing a train. It's one of Japan's worst ever natural disasters.
© Public Domain
4 / 28 Fotos
Kohistan avalanche in 2010 - There were a series of avalanches that devastated the world in 2010. One occurred in Kohistan, Pakistan.
© Reuters
5 / 28 Fotos
Kohistan avalanche in 2010
- The village of Bagaro Serai was struck by one particularly horrible avalanche that killed over 100 people.
© Getty Images
6 / 28 Fotos
Saint-Martin et Chèze avalanche - Way back in the 17th century, this area in France's Hautes-Pyrénées was hit with a ruinous avalanche.
© Shutterstock
7 / 28 Fotos
Saint-Martin et Chèze avalanche - It's estimated that 107 people were killed as a result of this avalanche that occurred in 1600.
© Shutterstock
8 / 28 Fotos
Kolka-Karmadon rock ice slide - This disaster took place around Mount Kazbek in September 2002. It occurred after the collapse of the Kolka Glacier.
© Shutterstock
9 / 28 Fotos
Kolka-Karmadon rock ice slide - The ice slide heavily impacted the Genaldon and Karmadon vallies. Around 125 people died because of the disaster, including a film crew of 27 people.
© Public Domain
10 / 28 Fotos
Gayari Sector avalanche in 2012 - This avalanche hit a Pakistani military base in the nation's Gayari Sector.
© Reuters
11 / 28 Fotos
Gayari Sector avalanche in 2012 - The avalanche trapped 140 soldiers and civilian contractors under the snow. No one made it out alive.
© Reuters
12 / 28 Fotos
Mitsumata village avalanche in 1918 - In the early 20th century, an avalanche wreaked havoc on the village of Mitsumata in Japan. In 1918, an avalanche assaulted the village, destroying over 30 houses and killing 158 people.
© Reuters
13 / 28 Fotos
Salang avalanches in 2010 - In 2010, a series of at least 36 avalanches hit the Salang tunnel in Kabul, Afghanistan.
© Reuters
14 / 28 Fotos
Salang avalanches in 2010
- Around 171 people died in the disaster, which was caused by a freak storm in the Hindu Kush mountains.
© Getty Images
15 / 28 Fotos
Lahaul Valley avalanche - In 1979, India was hit with a series of destructive avalanches.
© Shutterstock
16 / 28 Fotos
Lahaul Valley avalanche - Lahaul Valley was buried by multiple avalanches. It's thought that around 200 people died in the disasters.
© Shutterstock
17 / 28 Fotos
Afghanistan avalanches in 2012 - Afghanistan was ravaged by three avalanches back in March 2012. The avalanches struck the region of Badakhshan.
© Reuters
18 / 28 Fotos
Afghanistan avalanches in 2012 - Over 200 people were confirmed to have died.
© Reuters
19 / 28 Fotos
White Friday - White Friday was a day that shook Italy during WWI. An avalanche occurred at Mount Marmolada, striking an Austrian barracks on the mountain ridge.
© Shutterstock
20 / 28 Fotos
White Friday - It's estimated that around 10.000 soldiers were killed in the avalanche. Historians think that both Italian and Austrian soldiers fired shells at the mountain, trying to trigger an avalanche to destroy the other side.
© Shutterstock
21 / 28 Fotos
Afghanistan avalanches in 2015 - The worst avalanches in recent history occurred in 2015. A total of 40 avalanches struck the Panjshir Province, devastating the region.
© Reuters
22 / 28 Fotos
Afghanistan avalanches in 2015 - At least 310 people were killed in the avalanches. It was the worst disaster of this kind in three decades.
© Reuters
23 / 28 Fotos
Huascarán avalanche in 1962 - Back in 1962, Peru was struck with a chaotic avalanche from Huascarán mountain. Nine towns and several villages were destroyed by the natural disaster.
© Shutterstock
24 / 28 Fotos
Huascarán avalanche in 1962 - Over 4,000 people were killed by the avalanche. The disaster was caused by a giant glacier that suddenly broke apart and fell down the mountainside.
© Shutterstock
25 / 28 Fotos
Huascarán avalanche in 1970 - Peru doesn't have any luck when it comes to natural disasters. The world's worst avalanche occurred there way back in 1970.
© Shutterstock
26 / 28 Fotos
Huascarán avalanche in 1970
- Triggered by the Ancash earthquake, the 1970 Huascarán avalanche was devastating. The death toll was estimated to be around 20,000. See also: Snowstorms surprises: a timeline of America’s worst blizzards
© Shutterstock
27 / 28 Fotos
Teen killed in avalanche in Alaska, becomes fourth victim this month
The 16-year-old triggered the avalanche while riding a snowmobile
© Shutterstock
The death toll is unusually high for Alaska, where, in recent years, the average number of avalanche fatalities has been around three annually.
The victim, identified by the Alaska State Troopers as Tucker Challan from Soldotna, Alaska, was found the next day. He had been buried under approximately 10 feet (approximately 3 meters) of snow while riding in Turnagain Pass in the Kenai Mountains, about 60 miles (about 97 kilometers) south of Anchorage.
Avalanches have historically caused widespread devastation, killing thousands and destroying entire towns. Find out how devastating an avalanche can be by clicking through this gallery on the world's worst avalanche disasters.
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