Spindleruv Mlyn, East Bohemia, Feb 28 (CTK) – The so far biggest avalanche in the Czech Republic this winter fell down into the Mala Kotelni jama gorge in the Krkonose (Giant Mountains) in mid-February, Pavel Cingr, from the Krkonose Mountain Rescue Service, has told CTK.
It was 425 metres long with the parametres of a medium avalanche, he added.
This winter season has been poor in avalanches so far.
The avalanche danger of second degree on a five-degree scale is valid in the Krkonose mountains at present. There is a one-metre snow layer on the mountain ridges.
“The avalanche fell down spontaneously in the afternoon on February 16,” the rescue service said.
It was caused by warming and a strong sun radiation on sunny slopes, it added.
The snow mass was 31 metres wide, the ripped-off layer was from 40 centimetres to two metres high. The avalanche front was 1.8 metre high.
The so far biggest avalanche in Krkonose in the past years fell down into the Modry dul (Blue Valley) on February 10, 2015. It covered a 20-hectare area and was 1106 metre long and 506 metre wide.
The avalanche danger of third degree was declared in Krkonose in early January only.
There are several avalanche localities in the mountains where several dozen avalanches fall down annually.
The last victim of an avalanche in Krkonose was a 28-year-old ski mountaineer in February, 2015. In late December, 2008, an avalanche killed another ski mountaineer, a 36-year-old woman.
