"Caution! Avalanche! "Whether you are a visitor or a local resident, in the mountains there are no words more terrible than these. Sudden snow falls are typical for many regions of the world - from the Himalayas to the Alps and the Rocky Mountains. The total number of victims of snow debris in the last century has exceeded 50 thousand.

The most common and most dangerous type of snow avalanche is a giant snow "slab" sliding down the mountain. It can weigh several thousand tons - it is enough to tear up the tree, rebuild the boulder, destroy the house and destroy the car.

The amount of snow on the slope, the angle of its inclination and the meteorological conditions are the factors that influence the formation of the snow avalanche. Scientists know that the most dangerous angle is 35-45 degrees. But this, perhaps, is all that can be said with complete certainty. The degree of risk of avalanche can not be determined exactly: it can be caused by a loud sound or the weight of a single skier.

In the United States annually descends from the mountains about one hundred thousand avalanches.

Among those who are caught up in an avalanche, according to statistics every fifth person dies. At many ski resorts rescuers arrange small avalanches intentionally, in order to avoid more dangerous landslides.

But when the avalanche has already started to move, everyone who has got into it, should realize that it will not be possible to escape. Therefore, in such a situation, you should move your hands energetically, as if to "swim" in the snow to create a free space around yourself. Director of the Colorado Avalanche Center Ethan Greene explains that when a snow falls, heavy objects, including cars and people, are usually closer to the surface: "When the avalanche comes down, the snow moves very fast and small particles fall into crevices and cracks, and large objects Are pushed out to the surface. "