French Alps avalanches kill seven

LYON: Two avalanches in the French Alpine region of Savoie left seven people dead on Saturday, prefecture sources said.

Local authorities had already warned on Friday of unstable snow formations given a recent falloff in temperatures.

The first avalanche occurred late morning at Valloire, a village close to the 2,642-metre Col du Galibier mountain, killing four local people aged between 42 and 76.

They were among a five-strong group of walkers one of whom was found safe and well by rescuers after two helicopters were scrambled.

The second avalanche claimed three lives early afternoon near the 3,779-metre Mont Pourri, near Les Arcs ski resort some 150-km north east of the first one, prefecture sources said having issued a warning of a "particularly high" risk after recent days saw heavy snowfalls followed by falling temperatures.